


Small Stories and Fairytales

by MariaJonsson



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drabble Collection, F/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-13 20:12:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 26,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3394886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariaJonsson/pseuds/MariaJonsson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles and short stories written for Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Favour

**Author's Note:**

> **10\. High school popular kid/nerd AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
>  **Summary:** Catelyn gets asked out by the most popular guy in school, but things aren’t as they seem.  
> 

Catelyn couldn’t believe it when Brandon Stark had asked her out. The most popular guy in school was interested in her. The new girl, who was interested in model UN and the drama club.

The problem was, she wasn’t as interested in him. He was charming and handsome, quick to laugh and smile, all great qualities. Only, Catelyn wasn’t the only girl to notice these qualities, and Catelyn was just one of many girls Brandon had asked out this semester. And it was only October.

He had asked her each day for a week, showing up outside her home, following her to the ballet studio she practiced at. It would have been creepy if he hadn’t stopped when she asked him to.

Then last week, after a full week without seeing him, he asked her one last time, only this time he seemed sincere and had left all of his immature acts at home.

So on Saturday night, after a long talk with her father, they were finally sitting in his car headed to some restaurant Brandon knew about.

A waiter, Brandon clearly knew, showed them to a table, and Catelyn unintentionally wondered how many girls he had brought here before.

"Uhm, so usually I would be all charm and trying my best moves on you," he said frankly, looking down at her breasts instead of at her face and Catelyn quickly sat straight in her seat and crossed her arms in front of her.

"But?" she asked, carefully watching him.

”So uhm, the thing is, I like you, you’re very nice looking and all, and you seem very nice, but uhm, I just wanted to ask you favour,” Brandon said clumsily, clearly not used to having an honest conversation with a girl.

"A favour?” she repeated, raising her brow, trying very hard not to roll her eyes. “Why couldn’t you have asked this favour in school?”

"Because I don’t want my brother to know we talked, he would be so mad if he knew about this, but he’s my bro, you know. I gotta have his back,” Brandon explained poorly as he shoved some bread into his mouth.

"Your brother? Eddard?” she asked.

Eddard Stark was the younger brother of Brandon, he was popular as well, all the hockey players were, but unlike his brother and best friend, Robert Baratheon, Eddard was a quiet guy, solemn and kind. Not a hint of this bravado and womanising that Brandon was all about.

"Ned," Brandon said, breaking off another piece of bread. "He has the hots for you, but thinks you’re to pretty for him. I thought I’d see if you were interested so that I could get him to ask you out, if you aren’t, I can tell him I took you out and he’ll forget all about you.”

Catelyn frowned at him, lifting her brow in disbelieve, “So I’m that forgettable?”

”Nah, but Ned only has one rule. He doesn’t date girls I’ve been out with. Something about bros before hoes or something.”

"So you’re just trying to be a nice brother?" she asked, laughing as the waiter brought their food.

"Something like that, he’s my brother and I’m graduating next semester, I can at least say I didn’t try to date the one girl he’s interested in," Brandon said, digging into his food, leaving Catelyn with her thoughts of Ned Stark.

Thinking it couldn’t be too bad to go out with Ned Stark, Catelyn had told Brandon she didn’t care what he did, but if he showed up one more time at her ballet class, should would have her uncle read him his rights.

Not even a week had passed when she found Ned Stark standing outside the theatre after a rehearsal, looking sheepish as her fellow actors pushed passed her.

"Catelyn Tully, right?" he started cautiously, his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Yeah, hi Ned," she said.

"Oh, hi, sorry to bother you." He was apparently as shy as he was quiet.

"You’re not. I don’t have ballet practice today. Can I help you with something?"

"I was wondering if you might like to go out sometime, like to dinner or something,” he asked, and for the first time he looked into her eyes. His big grey eyes drawing her in.

"I’d love to," she said without thinking. Hoping he wouldn’t suggest the place his brother took her to.

The End.


	2. The Right Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catelyn just broke up with Brandon at a party and then proceeded to get very drunk. Before going home, she intends to go give Brandon an earful, only to accidentally knock on the wrong door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **28\. Knocking on the Wrong Door - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Catelyn Tully had rarely been as angry as she was at that moment, her face was probably as red as her hair, and had she not been well above slight intoxicated, she would probably not have marched right over to his fraternity to given him a piece of her mind, her very angry mind.

With midterms over, there was quite the brawl going on in all the Greek houses, and Brandon’s fraternity was certainly not one to be left out.

Although, the largest party was being held at the Alpha Delta house, some people seemed to have migrated and the door to his frat house was wide open with people coming and going.

Catelyn somehow managed to stumble up the stairs, and down the hallway, although the bigger problem presented itself when she couldn’t remember if Brandon’s door was on the right or the left side of the huge portrait of some famous actress she couldn’t quite remember the name of.

Taking a chance, she knocked on the door on the left, hoping she wasn’t about to find Brandon in bed with another woman; for the second time that night.

Catelyn was usually not a rude person, today however was not a usual day, and so she banged her fist on the door repeatedly until she almost fell into a man’s arms, when he opened the door she had also been leaning on.

Before looking closely at the man who had caught her, or even thanking him for not letting her fall on the floor, she started in on the speech she had rehearsed all the way over here, again and again, in her mind.

“… and I just want you to know, that if I ever see…” Catelyn suddenly stopped, looking closely at the man in front her, the man who was in fact not Brandon, despite the brown hair and grey eyes. “Oh my gods, you’re not him.”

The man in front of her didn’t appear angry at all, not even a little bit confused.

“No,” he answered, grabbing her purse off the floor, which she had dropped during her monologue of all the bad words she had ever learned. “Brandon’s room is next door, but he isn’t at home.”

“Oh gods,” she moaned, sliding to the floor, pushing off her very expensive heels. “I can’t believe I’m so pathetic.”

“Are you alright?” the man asked, sitting down next to her.

“Yes. No,” she contradicted herself in a low voice. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want me to walk you home?” he offered.

“I can walk myself, thank you very much. I don’t even know you,” she said, not moving off the floor only looking at him with what she hoped was an angry face.

The man only laughed, making him appear at least five years younger than before.

“You don’t even know me, but you came banging at my door in the middle of the night, scream at me with profanities and then when I graciously offer to walk you home, you practically accuse me of intending to rape you.”

Even as he spoke, he kept on smiling, shaking his head, “Do you at least want me to call you a cab?”

Catelyn just stared at him, too shocked, or too drunk to say anything, then suddenly muttering, “You look a lot like him, especially around the eyes. And your nose.”

“Brandon’s my brother,” he explained, pulling her fingers away from his face. “You must be the girlfriend.”

Catelyn chuckled, lacing her fingers between his, marvelling at how well they fit together, “The question is, which one am I.”

She laughed at her own joke, accidentally banging her head against the wall.

“Ouch. I’m tired,” she said, yawning and rubbing the back of her head at the same time.

“Come on,” he said, standing up, still holding her hand. “I’ll walk you home, you can’t stay here on the floor.”

“Do you promise to be nice to me? Even if I yelled at you?” she asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“I promise,” he said as he practically picked her up of the floor. “You have to put your shoes on.”

“I don’t want to,” she cried, pushing them into his arms.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll carry you, you can’t be walking around this house with no shoes, it wouldn’t be safe.”

So after grabbing her shoes and bag, he hoisted her onto his back, carrying her all the way to the dormitories, where her roommate had been waiting for her all night, worried that she had gotten herself into trouble after seeing Brandon with that girl.

“So do you promise not to come knocking on my door again in the middle of the night to yell at me?” he asked as she thanked him for taking her home.

“I promise not to yell at you, but since you were so sweet and carried me home, I at least owe you a proper thank you, preferably when I’m not this drunk, ” she said, standing on her toes, pressing a kiss to his cheek, not allowing him to say anything else before closing her door.

The End.


	3. A Preacher’s Daughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned is a stripper and Catelyn is attending Cersei’s bachelorette party and comes to his rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **31\. Prostitute/Client AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
>  **A/N:** I can imagine either of them ever becoming prostitutes, so I swapped it with stripper.

Catelyn blushed as she pushed a couple of bills into the unknown man’s underwear, blushing even further when one of Cersei’s friends spanked his bottom.

This was not something she was used to, but Cersei had insisted that there be at least three strippers at her bachelorette party, and as her maid of honour it had been Catelyn’s job to hire them.

The agency Catelyn had finally found offered to send them on house calls, including a special package where the strippers offered extra services, which Catelyn had reluctantly agreed to, knowing Cersei’s plans before going down the aisle.

Sometimes she wondered why she was even friends with Cersei. They had nothing in common really, and when it came to the direction they were heading in, it couldn’t be more different. But somehow they had found a common ground during those two years they had been college roommates, which is how Catelyn had ended up here.

It had been going steady for a few hours now, and Catelyn had just watched the dark haired giant stripper pick up Cersei’s friend from work, Taena something, as Cersei herself had dragged him to an empty room in the back, both women giggling uncontrollably.

Ashara Dayne seemed to be busy trying to convince one of the other strippers to come with her down the hall, whispering something in his ear. That one also had dark hair, although he wasn’t quite as big as the other one, also the plainest of face, of the three, but well built.

The third one seemed to have no interest in the women around and was busy packing up their stuff, as most of the women continued to drink and eyeing him, his blond hair and the rippling muscles that even showed in his back. Although, he would look longingly in the direction of the bedroom Cersei had disappeared into, making Catelyn curious if the two might perhaps know each other.

"No thanks," she heard the other one say and she quickly turned her attentions to her left, watching the man drag Ashara’s hand out the pants he had just put on.

"Oh come on," Ashara said, her speech a bit slurred.

"Ash," Catelyn said sweetly, waiting for the older girl’s eyes to fall on her.

"Yeah," she answered, the man needing to grab her arm so she didn’t fall over.

"This one is mine," she said with as much confidence as she could muster.

"Right," Ashara answered in a mocking voice. "The preacher’s daughter?"

Catelyn felt her cheeks redden, and she silently cursed her complexion.

"Yeah, haven’t you heard, preacher’s daughters are all messed up, so we’re all crazy in bed," she said in a calm voice, as if speaking to one of her students.

"Fine," Ashara said, and walked away with a pout, setting her sights on the other guy, and Catelyn hoped he could handle himself, because she couldn’t possibly justify taking two.

The guy seemed genuinely confused and just followed her like a lost dog, his hand warm in hers.

Once the door was closed, he seemed to be able to get his wits about him and he let go of her hand, dragging it through his hair.

"Look, I’m sorry. You seem like a really nice girl, but I’m not…" he hesitated, as if he were afraid of offending her.

"A prostitute?" she finished for him, smiling softly. "Don’t worry, I have no interest in paying anyone for sex."

"Oh, good, but uhm, why did you say all that stuff to that girl,” he asked, looking as intimidating as a puppy, with his big grey eyes and hunched shoulders.

"You mean Ash, oh she always takes things too far when she drinks, and she’s not used to hear the word no," Catelyn said, sitting down on the bed. "Also, you seemed to need some help."

"Uhm, thanks," he said, just as he pulled the shirt in his hand over his head, hiding his muscular body from her roaming eyes.

"No problem," she answered, allowing silence to reign for a few minutes before asking. "So how long do you think we’ll have to stay here?"

He looked up from where he was seated on a chair near the window.

”Ohh, I’m not sure. Maybe until that girl is gone?” he said hopefully, a hint of question in his voice.

“Or at least so they think you totally wore me out,” she said with a smirk, laughing when he sent her a scandalized look.

The End.


	4. Disapproval

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat and Ned meet at the ER.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **15\. Meeting in the E.R/A &E AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Ned Stark was sitting in the waiting area with his coffee, silently sipping it as he watched some British drama, his mother liked, on the television.

It was a fairly relaxed night in the E.R. and the waiting room was mostly empty.

He had been sitting there for about half an hour when a beautiful red haired girl entered the waiting room, from inside hospital, and headed for the vending machine.

Ned turned back to the show and didn’t even notice when the girl sat down next to him.

”Ohh, I love this episode, poor Mary though, can you imagine having someone die in the middle or right after sex, gods, how embarrassing,” she said, her southern accent striking him more than her speech about the character on the TV show, it wasn’t every day a southerner was found so far in the North.

"Uhm, yeah," he muttered, still a bit surprised. "So what brings you to the E.R?"

"My brother broke his wrist trying to ride his sled down the stairs," she explained, not taking her eyes off the television. "And you?"

"Oh, my roommate put his fist through a wall and couldn’t drive himself to the hospital,” Ned explained, shrugging.

This made her turn to face him, a look of disbelief on her face.

"I’m not joking," he said. "If you knew him you wouldn’t be surprised."

"So did his girlfriend cheat on him or something?" she asked, still unsure if she should believe him.

"No, his football team lost," Ned said, with a shrug.

”Ohh, so he’s a player?” she asked, seeming more confused than before, and Ned wanted to bang his head against the wall.

"Nope, just very invested in his home team," he said, turning back to the television, just in time to see the credits playing. "Is your brother going to be alright?"

"Oh yeah, they took him to get x-rays, which is why I was able to escape," she explained. "Can’t hold his hand while he gets x-rayed. What about your friend? He didn’t want you to hold his hand?"

"Gods no. Apparently I was salting his game with my disapproving face when he was hitting on the nurse," Ned explained.

"Oh no, how dare you?" she said with a smirk. "Can I see it?"

Ned was confused, he wasn’t the one injured, “See what?”

"The disapproving face," she said with a giggle, her bright blue eyes looking at him with anticipation.

Ned smiled at her, shaking his head, “No, sorry, it’s a trade secret.”

"Really? So I’ll have to do something to earn it?" she asked.

"Yep, something very shocking and unbecoming," Ned answered.

He was about to ask her if she wanted to grab some food in the cafeteria when the nurse came out and called a name.

"Catelyn Tully," the nurse called and the girl looked up and nodded at the nurse.

"Sorry, I have to go, it was nice talking to you,” Catelyn Tully said, standing up.

She was almost through the door when she turned around, a pen in her hand.

"So if you’re interested in showing me your disapproving face, call me," she said with a wink, as she wrote her number on the inside of his palm.

The End.


	5. Tinder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catelyn tries online dating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **9\. Meeting Online AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Everyone said that online dating was the new scene, no one just asked people out anymore, at least not before having a conversation online first.

So Catelyn had reluctantly downloaded the Tinder app on her phone and connected it to her Facebook page. After two months of swiping left and right, Catelyn had been almost certain this was not for her.

She had had almost a 100 matches, and yet only a handful of those matches had developed into a conversation, and at least half of those she had been the instigator.

There seemed to be only two types of guys, the creeps and the ones that only wanted to hook up. At least half of the conversations that had been started ended immediately in unmatched, because the only thing the guy was interested in was seeing her tits and that was a huge warning sign to Catelyn.

She had been about to give up when her phone notified her of a new match and a message. She barely remembered swiping right, the face had looked pleasant enough and he was only a year older than she was, which made him already better than half of the profiles where the man in the photo was clearly not under thirty, but for some reason he believed his age wouldn’t matter once you got to know him.

He had a nice simple name, Ned, and he had a dog, a beautiful Siberian husky, that Catelyn was already in love with it. After two months of chatting online they had finally agreed to meet, it was nothing big, just drinks at a local college bar. Just a meet and greet.

That had been five hours ago and now Catelyn sat next to him in the taxi, still talking as if they hadn’t been conversing all night, about everything and anything, even the moments of silence were comfortable.

They would speak of their interests, their secret hobbies, their families and their thoughts of the future, and yet it was only their first official meeting.

Catelyn was almost disappointed when the cab stopped outside her building, but she brightened up when he got out and held the door open for her, which surprised her because she had never slept with someone on the first date.

Ned said something to the driver and then helped her out. When she stepped onto the first step he pulled on her hand.

"Good night," Ned said, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"You’re not coming up?" she asked, disappointed.

"Not tonight, but I would love to see you again," he replied.

"I would love that as well," she answered eagerly, giggling in embarrassment, her face flushing.

Without neither of them saying anything, they drifted towards one another until their lips locked, just briefly brushing against each other, until she pulled him closer, opening her mouth to him, allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth.

His hand brushed through her hair, and she remembered their first conversation when he complimented it in a sweet and shy manner, and then how he had looked at it in the bar.

It ended far too soon and she had to forcibly pull back so she did not fall into his arms.

"Good night, Cat," he said breathlessly. "Call me."

She stood on the step until he got to the door of the car, a piece of paper slipped into her palm.

The End.


	6. Undercover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat and Ned are undercover on opposite teams, but just can’t stay away from one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **45\. Pretend to hate each other - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
>  **Warning:** Some minor smut and bad language.

"We are supposed to hate each other," Catelyn groaned as his lips moved down her neck, her fingers quickly trying to loosen his belt.

"I know, but you’re just so hot when you’re mad," Ned said, his hands hiking her legs around his hips pushing her further into the stall door.

"The captain didn’t have this in mind when he sent us undercover," Catelyn hissed. His fingers working their magic against her sensitive flesh and she cared less and less about their mission.

"I’ll be quick," Ned promised. Her fingers finally managing to open his trousers and he quickly shoved them down.

True to his word he was quick about it, pushing harshly inside her, making her cry out. Soothingly stroking his hands on her thighs before starting a quick tempo, his hips clashing against hers, his left hand squeezed between them as he rubbed her clit, bringing her closer to her finish.

His hand came over her mouth as she screamed. Her eyes closed shut, and her fingers clawing at his back over his shirt.

Ned’s hand remained as he reached his own finish, only dropping when his head fell onto her shoulder, a groan on his lips as he spilled his seed inside her.

They stumbled out of the stall and Catelyn pulled Ned down for a heated kiss, his hand pressed to the small of her back. They had barely parted when one of Ned’s supposed associates walked in and Catelyn quickly pulled away.

"How dare you? Do not ever put your filthy hands on me again," she screamed in utter horror, and before Ned could react her fist collided with his nose, and he went flying backwards, landing in the toilet in the stall they had just occupied a mere moment ago, his nose swollen and bleeding, a hidden smile in his grey eyes.

Catelyn wasted no time and quickly left the bathroom and blended in among the crowd in the club, more determined than before to finish this, so that she and Ned could get back to being on the same side.

The End


	7. Only Stark in Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone tries to steal Catelyn’s coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **6\. Meeting at a Coffee Shop AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

“Stark! Medium mild,” the server called out and Catelyn stood up and was about to take her cup when a larger hand grabbed around hers.

"Oh, sorry," A tall man spoke, his grey eyes never leaving her cup.

"This is mine," Catelyn spoke, pulling her cup towards her.

"No, I think it’s mine," the man spoke, his mean face staring down at her.

"No, my name is right here." Pointing at her ex-husbands last name that she still used.

"No, that’s my name," the dark haired man said.

"Uhm, excuse me," the barista standing in front of them said, holding up another medium cup. “Here you go, sir.”

The man looked at the server and growled his thanks at her.

"There is no need to be rude to the barista, she’s only doing her job,” Catelyn scolded him.

"I’m sorry," the man looked at her, his head hanging in shame. "You’re right, there’s no reason to be rude. I didn’t know there were any other Starks in Wintertown."

"Neither did I," Catelyn said sceptically, looking over the man that was clearly not from around here, judging by the pressed suit and his shining black shoes.

"Oh, I grew up here, my father’s the mayor. I moved away to go to college and I’m just visiting now," the man explained.

“You’re Eddard. Wow, you look nothing like your pictures,” Catelyn exclaimed, remembering the skinny teenager standing next to Brandon on the Stark family portrait.

"Yeah, I guess I’m a sort of a late bloomer. You know my family?" Eddard asked, sipping his coffee.

"Uhm, yeah. Brandon and I were married, you were stuck in Quarth if I remember correctly," Catelyn spoke, remembering Brandon’s foul mood when Eddard hadn’t shown up to his Bachelor party.

"Yeah, sorry about that and sorry about the divorce," Eddard said, not able to meet her eyes.

"It was for the best. At least I have Robb," Catelyn said, smiling at the thought of her little son

"How is my nephew? He’s about a year old now, right?" Eddard asked, seeming to be genuinely interested.

"Ten months," Catelyn said. "He’s growing so fast."

“Well, maybe I’ll get to meet him this weekend, are you coming to Father’s birthday?” Eddard asked.

"Rickard invited me, but I’m not sure I’ll go. It would be pretty awkward, but Robb will at least be there," Catelyn said, not wanting to run into Brandon with his new girlfriend, but Ben had already offered to take Robb to see his grandfather.

"Well, I hope you’ll come, but if not it was good to at least meet you once," Eddard said, sending her a smile.

"You too," Catelyn said, looking behind him at the clock, noticing the time. "Oh, gods. I’m sorry to be running out on you like this, but I’m going to be late for work. Maybe you and Ben could come by one night for dinner or something."

"I’d like that," Eddard said.

"Ok, I’ll call Ben and set something up. It was really nice to finally meet you and try not to steal my coffee again," Catelyn said, smiling as she practically ran out the door.

The End.


	8. The Parent Trap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned & Cat meet when taking their sons to school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **19\. Parents Meeting When They Take Their Kids to Class AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Ned had no idea why Jon was so excited. All the way over to the school, he was jumping on his booster seat and now as they walked towards the school, he kept pulling on Ned’s hand, trying to slow him down and looking around.  
  
When he let out a high squealing sound Ned turned around and saw a tall auburn haired woman being dragged by an auburn haired boy, probably around Jon’s age.  
  
“Slow down, Robb,” the woman asked, pulling the boy towards her. “It’s only nine o’clock.”  
  
“Hi Jon!” The little boy yelled, waving their way, pulling hard on his mother’s arm with his jumping. Jon seemed equally excited and let go of Ned’s hand running to greet his friend.  
  
“Hi, Jon,” the woman spoke with a warm affection, and Jon beamed up at her, clearly infatuated with the beautiful woman.  
  
“Hi, Robb’s mom,” Jon said.  
  
The woman only laughed at Jon’s greeting, turning to look up at Ned still smiling.  
  
“You must be Jon’s father,” the woman guessed.  
  
Ned looked at her, not thinking quickly enough to answer for Jon’s taste.  
  
“Yep, he’s my dad. But he didn’t really make me,” Jon said, speaking the truth as he knew it. The woman didn’t truly understand what that meant, but just smiled and extended a hand out to Ned.  
  
“Catelyn Tully, I’m Robb’s mom,” she said, stroking an affectionate hand over her son’s head.  
  
“Ned Stark,” he answered, shaking her hand.  
  
“Nice to finally meet you, Jon talks about you all the time,” the woman said.  
  
“All good things I hope,” Ned replied, surprised Jon had spoken to this woman at all, as he was usually so shy around other adults.  
  
“Of course,” she said. “If I hadn’t seen you now with my own eyes, I’d start thinking the boys had made you up. Quite the hero from what they say.”  
  
Ned had never been as thankful for his natural complexion of never blushing, for if he could, his cheeks would now be as red as Mrs Tully’s hair.  
  
“I don’t know about that. But my job can sometimes be a bit hazardous,” Ned confessed, automatically gripping Jon’s shoulder tighter.  
  
“I can imagine, I don’t know many people that would willingly storm into a burning building,” she said smiling softly.  
  
“Yeah, well someone has to do it,” Ned said, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
“Can Robb and his mommy come over for barbecue this weekend? Please,” Jon begged, smiling wide up at him, his friend nodding his head as he looked expectantly at his mother.  
  
“I don’t see why not. We usually have a barbecue with a few neighbours and friends on the first Saturday of June, if you and your husband would like to come with young Robb, we’d be thrilled,” Ned said, without reserve.  
  
“Mommy doesn’t have a husband! Daddy left us,” Robb said, smiling even brighter, despite the less than happy news about his father.  
  
“Robb!” Mrs Tully lightly scolded her son, both of their faces lighting up as red as their hair. “Thank you for the lovely offer, but we wouldn’t want to intrude.”  
  
“It’s not a problem at all, in fact you’d kind off be doing us favour, most of the neighbourhood kids are a bit older than Jon so it would be great for him to have someone to play with his own age,” Ned said, all of a sudden more excited for the annual barbecue.  
  
“All right, I guess we could, if it really isn’t too much of a bother. Would you like for me to bring anything?” she offered, once again flashing him that beautiful smile.  
  
“No need. Just your lovely self, and young Robb. There will be plenty to go around,” Ned said, smiling as well, before looking down at the two boys, who were for some reason smirking and giving each other high fives.

The End.


	9. North of the Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Ned’s a wildling… sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **36\. Living in a Society Where Their Love is Taboo AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Catelyn shouldn’t love him. She knew she should not. They had taken her against her will, and travelled to the frozen lands beyond the walls.

They were barbarians, wildlings. They should frighten her. Yet he did not, not Ned, not even when he had on his serious face. The face made for a high lord, and not a Wildling.

The Starks had ruled the North for generations, then half a century ago the Boltons had managed to drive them into exile and take Winterfell. From that day on the Starks had stayed north of the Wall. Until about two years ago when the older sons of Rickard Stark had ventured South of the Wall to see if the rumours were true, if Roose Bolton’s heir and only child, Domeric, was to marry a Southerner. Strengthening the Bolton’s place as wardens of the North in the Seven Kingdoms.

Only Brandon Stark had had a better idea. To steal a daughter of Riverrun and bring her North of the Wall, leaving a rift between the Lord of Riverrun and the Boltons.

Catelyn had tried to fight, to run, to plead, but nothing could change his mind. They were miles away from the King’s Road when they met up with Brandon’s brother.

The younger Stark had been very displeased, and she had heard them arguing, although she had not heard their words.

Ned had protected her, not only from the other wildlings, but from his brother as well. Catelyn had tried to plead with him as well, but he stood firmly with his brother, a trade she would have admired had they not been keeping her a prisoner.

Many moons had passed since, and after six moons with no hope of rescue, it dawned on Catelyn that it did not matter at all. Even if she were to be rescued, she would no longer hold the value she had before, no one would have believed that she was still a maiden, and nothing she could say would help, no one would believe her.

Catelyn didn’t hear him come into their tent, so she was slightly startled when his hand came over her stomach, running over it, searching for a sign.

"I think he is sleeping," she told him, placing down her mending, thrusting her frozen fingers under his heavy coat and shirt, pressing her blue fingers against his warm skin.

”Ahhh,” Ned groaned. “Catelyn.”

"What?" she said with a smirk. "You promised on our wedding day that you would always keep me warm."

"I did, but I didn’t agree with you assaulting me with frozen fingers. Why don’t you just shove snow down my skirt, it might be warmer," he said, pulling one of her hands from his skin, trying to rub some heat into them.

Ned looked nervous, which made Catelyn nervous, lifting her hand from under his shirt to stroke over his beard, leaning forward to brush her lips against his.

"What’s wrong?" she whispered.

"War," Ned whispered back, squeezing her fingers.

"What do mean? With another tribe?" Catelyn asked, stroking the hand, Ned wasn’t holding over her stomach in worry.

It would not be the first time there was a struggle between the free folk, although she had never heard Ned refer to these struggles as a war before.

“No. South of the Wall, in the Seven Kingdoms,” he hesitated again, licking his lips as he thought of what to say next. “In the Riverlands.”

"What?" Catelyn cried out, pulling her hand away to cover her mouth, her heart beating slightly faster.

"I’m sorry, my love. It seems the Lord Paramounts have had enough of the mad king and have risen in rebellion, from Casterly Rock to the Vale, only the North and the Iron Islands have yet to make a stand, although it is believed that Dorne is supporting the king under duress because the mad king holds the prince’s sister, Elia. Prince Rhaegar’s wife."

"Why have they gone to war?" she asked, although she wished to ask of her family, of her father.

"Prince Rhaegar has taken Lord Tywin’s daughter, no one knows where or why, but the old lion is understandably angry, especially after the king took his heir for the king’s guard," Ned explained. "He asked for her return and the mad king is said to have laughed in his face, claiming a king can do as he pleases. Which the other Lords were less than pleased about, after all what is to stop the Targaryens from taking their daughters as well. Thankfully, Lord Tywin managed to leave with his son unharmed. How, we do not know."

Catelyn couldn’t fathom it. She had known the king was unstable, her father had indicated as much, although he was careful enough not to say it outright. But to steal the daughter of one of his lord Paramounts, or for his son to do so, that could not have been well seen. Especially by House Baratheon, after all, Cersei Lannister had just been betrothed to Robert Baratheon when Catelyn was taken, and there was a reason why House Baratheon’s words were _Ours is the Fury_ , and kinship with the Targaryens would not stop them from seeking out their revenge.

"So House Baratheon sides with the Lannisters, but what about the Vale and my father? And the Reach?" Catelyn wondered.

"The Reach sides with the king, which I found slightly odd, seeing as Dorne also sides with the king. But Jon Arryn was Robert Baratheon’s foster father, Baratheon still lived in the Vale when he heard of his betrothed, apparently the king requested his head from Jon Arryn and so the falcon declared war on the king,” Ned finished and ran a hand through his hair, before looking up at her with sad grey eyes. “Your father also sided with Lord Lannister, after Jaime Lannister and your sister were married at Riverrun, three moons ago.”

”Lysa’s married?” Catelyn asked, shocked.

Jaime Lannister had come to Riverrun a few moons before Catelyn travelled to the North, he was young and seemed to be more interested in Uncle Brynden’s stories than Lysa, and then a few moons later, father had told them Jaime Lannister had been chosen for the King’s Guard. Leaving her sister devastated.  

"Yes, she is no doubt hidden safely away in Casterly Rock by now," Ned said soothingly.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Catelyn wondered. "You never speak of the south. At least not to me."

Ned ears turned a bright red and he looked away, “I could not allow you to leave, no matter what I wished, and so I saw no reason to remind you of the place you could never return to.”

"You said could not, not cannot,” Catelyn pointed out.

"We are leaving," Ned said, pressing a hand against her belly, stroking over her hand that rested there, linking their fingers together.

"Where are we going?" Catelyn wondered.

In three years she had never been anywhere else, since the day she had stepped into this village, she had remained. Brandon and Ned frequently travelled, and while she had shared Ned’s home even before she had allowed him access to her body, she had never gone with him. Instead, his sister, Lyanna, would share her bed, keeping her up with her kicking, instead of keeping her warm as Ned would.

"Home," Ned said with disbelief, the words almost foreign on his lips. "If you want, even to the Riverlands once the war is over, but the Starks are taking back the North.”

Catelyn couldn’t breath, she couldn’t think. Home. Riverrun. These words no longer meant the same thing; they were no longer the same thought as it had once been. Now home was Ned. The frozen faced wildling who had shared his heat with her without the need for reward. Who had brought her gifts from his travels, who made certain she was happy and satisfied. Home was a loaded word.

"Home," she whispered.

Ned did not speak, he waited – he was good at that.

"I’m coming with you?" she asked once her thoughts were gathered.

"Yes, we are all going, the people who want to return to the south," he said.

There was no explanation needed. The free folk had a strange respect for the Starks, they were of the first men, they believed in the Old Gods and the old ways. The only thing separating the free folk from the Northmen was a 300 mile long wall.

Catelyn, on the other hand, was an outsider. An Andal. She had been anointed with the seven oils and named in the rainbow of light that filled the Sept of Riverrun. She did not know their gods. The free folk did not harass her anymore, but they frowned up Ned’s relationship with her. She was not one of them, not just a kneeler, but also an Andal, an invader. If the Starks all left, Catelyn wouldn’t survive for a day, even if she carried a Stark in her belly.

"Where are we going?" Catelyn finally asked.

"White Harbor first, you can stay there until the war is over, have the baby. I’ll try and return before, but…" Ned’s voice trailed off.

Ned had been so frightened and excited when she told him, he had had this weird smile on his face as he stared at her still flat stomach and grinned. He had not left the village since, wanting to see every moment, be there for every change. Brandon and Lyanna found it hilarious and Benjen joined in the teasing, although he secretly found the whole thing curious, often asking if he could feel the babe move when they were alone.

"It will be all right, we’ll be together," she said, leaning forward to kiss his lips, pressing herself closer until she was sitting in his lap.

"Together," Ned whispered.

The End.


	10. The Old Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned works at a library and becomes smitten with one of the guests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **25\. Librarian/ Avid Reader - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Ned had started waiting for her, making sure no one bothered her, that she got safely to her car.

It was strange and he knew he should stop; yet he didn’t.

They never spoke except in a professional manner, when she would ask about a particular book and he’d point her in the right direction. Not even small talk about the weather.

Yet he waited every Monday and Wednesday, for her to come strolling in, her red hair catching his eye, since the first time she came in on a very wet Friday, just before closing, begging him to help her find a book she desperately needed for class.

After an hour search they finally found it on a wrong shelf and Robert had teased him mercilessly for arriving late at his birthday party. Although, Ned had not felt he had missed out on anything.

Ned had started working at the library part time during his freshman year, despite his father willingly giving him cash to live very comfortably. Ned had wanted to control his own finances, and while he allowed his parents to pay for housing and his tuition, he wanted to earn his own spending money, plus, he would always study at the library anyway, so why not make a few bucks while doing it.

She seemed to be a very avid reader, because he saw her every day he worked except Fridays. Sometimes she clearly came to study and other days she would just sit in the lounge with her headphones on and an open novel in her lap.

Ned often wanted to speak with her, but he felt it was unprofessional; she wasn’t coming here to be hit on by the librarian. She most likely came here for the peace and quiet. Especially since she was coming all the way out here instead of just studying at the new, fancier and modern library near the dorms.

He was locking up on a Wednesday evening when he noticed that she was still in the lounge, her headphones on and her foot moving in tempo with the music.

He tried to wave to her so that she wouldn’t be startled, tried calling, but clearly her music was turned up too loudly or else she would have heard the announcement about closing time. So he touched her shoulder, quickly pulling back when she moved, clearly startled.

"I’m sorry miss, but I’m about to close up," Ned said calmly.

"Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry," she said with her usual southern flow. "I was too engaged to even hear the announcement, I’m so sorry."

"No need to apologize, I just finished walking my rounds when I saw you," Ned explained.

She quickly shoved all her stuff into her bag and shoved her feet into shoes that couldn’t possibly be comfortable, before turning to him with a smile, pulling on her braid so it fell over her shoulder and the ends curled around the side of her breast.

They walked together to the exit and Ned punched in the security code and shut off the lights before exiting the door that she held open for him.

"Thanks," he said, closing behind him and locking, pulling the door to check if it was locked.

"No problem," she said smiling. "So do you like working here?"

"It’s good, better than a lot of other jobs, and the hours are nice, plus I can study when no one needs me," he said, following her down the step and towards the parking lot.

"What are you studying? If you don’t mind me asking," she inquired.

"Law," Ned groaned, thinking about the paper that was due next week.

"I’m sorry," she said smiling.

Ned said nothing, but he smiled back at her.

"And you?" He asked, although he was quite certain she was studying something related to children, since the book she had needed at the beginning of the semester had been about children’s development.

"I’m studying education with a side of psychology, focusing on children," she said smiling. "I’ve always loved kids and how they think, so it seemed to fit me well."

"Sounds far more interesting than law school," he said, smiling at her.

"Maybe a little," she admitted, her cheeks colouring a nice shade of pink.

"Well, I’ll see you around," Ned said when they stopped at her car, just staring at each other in silence.

"Do you maybe want to get something to eat?" The girl suddenly asked when he was about to turn around. "I’ve been here all evening and I totally forgot to eat."

"Yeah, sure," he answered, after all sharing a meal with a beautiful girl was far more enticing than eating a sandwich in front of the TV by himself.

The End


	11. When Winter Comes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three of the Starks try to help the fourth beat a drug problem before it is too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **35\. One of Them Trying to Get the Other One Off of Drugs AU - House Stark (Brandon, Ned, Lyanna & Ben)** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Brandon looked between his two siblings and shook his head. Who would have thought they would be here, doing this. Well, maybe that wasn’t so shocking. But Brandon had always thought they would at least be here because of him or Lyanna, and not little Ben.

Ned paced the floor and Lyanna sat on the couch, playing a game on her phone.

“Would you please, not be fiddling around with that thing, this is serious,” Ned growled at Lyanna, reminding Brandon yet again of how serious this was. Usually Ned would save all his growling for Brandon, and barely raise a voice to Lyanna, even when she would really mess up.

“Calm down Ned,” Brandon said, trying defuse his sister’s trigger-happy mood.

Ned turned to him and Brandon was certain his head would have exploded if Ned had any sorts of unnatural powers.

The man was clearly very tense, which surprised Brandon, after all Ned was the only one of the Stark siblings to be in a committed relationship, so he should be getting some pretty regularly. Although, Ned’s pretty Southern wife might be holding out on him for some reason, explaining his less than happy mood - or perhaps he was just being Ned. Brandon shrugged his shoulder and looked back at Lyanna.

“So what did he say?” Brandon asked, trying to wrap his mind around what was going on.

“Apparently he got addicted to some painkillers the doctor prescribed after his accident, and if the Army finds out he’s toast,” Lyanna said, looking up from her phone to look between her older brothers.

“Navy,” Ned said.

“What?” Both Brandon and Lyanna asked.

“Ben’s in the Navy, not the Army,” Ned explained, as if it mattered at all.

Lyanna just rolled her eyes at him, and yawned.

“Ok, so what are we going to do? We can’t just leave him here, and we can’t tell anyone or take him anywhere,” Lyanna asked, standing up, running her fingers through her messy brown hair.

“We’ll just have to stay with him, we’ll take shifts,” Brandon suggested. “Just for the first couple of days, while he gets it out of his system.”

“I have a job, Brandon, and a family,” Ned said, looking up from checking his watch. “I want to help Ben as much as you guys, but I have responsibilities elsewhere as well, there are private institutions where they can give him professional help.”

“We all have responsibilities NED,” their sister shouted, to which Ned gave her a pretty stern glare. Which wasn’t unfounded since Ned and Cat were practically raising her two-year-old son, along with their own.

“Alright, so that idea won’t work, how about just for the weekend, or just tonight at least. We can check out some private stuff tomorrow. The three of us can at least get him through the night,” Brandon said, trying to lessen the tension between them. “I’ll take the first watch. Ned why don’t you go home and fuck that pretty wife of yours, then maybe you’ll be a in a better mood when you come back.”

Brandon loved how easy it was to rile up his brother, and despite the serious situation he derived great pleasure from hearing his brother almost curse his name.

“Lyanna can take the last one, and then make him some breakfast, since she is the only one of us who can pour him a bowl of cereal,” Brandon said, grinning when she stuck out her tongue at him, and Brandon was fondly reminded of that time she had tried to make their father breakfast for his birthday and nearly burned down the house, but in her defence she had only been twelve, though he very much doubted she had gotten any better at it.

“Fine,” Ned answered. “Cat and I can swing by in the morning with some breakfast.”

“All right, that’s settled, Ned, you’ll come back around two o’clock, and Lyanna will be here at six,” Brandon said, and both of siblings nodded, before gathering their things, each giving him a hug before leaving.

Brandon thought about giving the pup a few more minutes, but he didn’t have the patience for it and so he threw open the door of Ben’s bedroom and walked right in, without knocking.

“Hey bro, how’s it going?” Brandon asked, feeling a pang of regret when he saw his little brother curled up on his bed, reminding him of the day after their mother had died, but then Ben had just been a little boy, not even old enough to really understand that she wouldn’t be coming back no matter how much she loved them.

“Go away Brandon,” Ben muttered.

“No can do bro, I got the first shift, figured you’d rather deal with me than a pissed off Ned, or a tired Lyanna,” Brandon said, sitting down on in the armchair, looking at his little brother’s face.

“I really screwed up Brandon, like really bad. I don’t blame Ned at all for being pissed,” Ben said, and Brandon felt a pang of jealousy that Ned’s opinion mattered more to Ben than his. Although, to be fair, Ben and Ned had always been more alike, the same way Lyanna and him were alike.

Although, Ben’s sense of humour was usually way better than Ned’s, who rarely found anything funny, or at least nothing that Brandon said.

“Don’t worry, Ned’s just pissed because he’s probably not getting any at home,” Brandon laughed, images of his sister-in-law flashing before his eyes, and he had to focus pretty hard, not to lose himself in thoughts of her pretty red hair and large tits. How his brother had gotten so lucky, Brandon would never know.

“Stop it,” Benjen said, and sat up on his bed.

“I didn’t do anything,” he said, raising his hands up. “I’m just sitting here.”

“You were fantasizing about Cat,” Ben accused him. “You do it pretty often when you talk about Ned. Ned doesn’t like it.”

“Ned doesn’t like a lot of things,” Brandon answered.

“Cat’s like our sister,” Ben said, the look on his face almost identical to Ned’s and their father’s. “You wouldn’t think like that about Lyanna.”

“Of course not! But Ned wouldn’t be banging Lyanna either, and I’m not harming anyone. I’ve never touched her,” Brandon said defensively, crossing his arms across his chest. “And don’t try and pretend that you haven’t thought about it as well.”

"I haven’t, and I don’t," Ben replied. "Ned loves her, and she loves Ned. I can appreciate that she is a beautiful woman, but I don’t think about her like that."

Brandon just raised a brow at his brother, a smirk on his face.

"Alright little pup, what ever you have to tell yourself," Brandon joked, raising a hand when he saw Ben about to start again, but if they didn’t stop speaking about Cat and her many virtues, Brandon would have a problem.

"Anyway, how are you?" Brandon asked.

"Fine, it hasn’t started, I think, I don’t know," Benjen said, running a hand over his neatly cut hair, his nails were bitten down to the root, his grey eyes watery and black circles surrounded his eyes, making him appear to have two black eyes.

"It will be all right, Ned is going to try and find a private facility that can help you, but until then we’re going to take shifts,” Brandon explained.

"Ned had enough on his plate without me adding to it," Ben complained.

"Really!” Brandon moaned. "Is Ned the only one that has a life?"

Ben’s face lit up and he couldn’t meet his eyes.

"What is it?" Brandon pushed. "Don’t tell me he is in trouble too?"

"No, no," Ben answered quickly. "No, it’s not that."

"Then what is it?" Brandon pushed again.

"Cat’s pregnant," Ben whispered, half a smirk on his lips.

"They were going to tell you all tomorrow, but now…" Ben’s voice trailed off.

"Oh, so I guess he was getting some," Brandon quipped, smiling.

Instead of scolding him again Benjen smiled, laughing with Brandon.

Things would work out and Benjen would be fine, Brandon was sure of it. After all, they were a wolf pack and wolves stick together.

The End.


	12. The Red Couch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting at a party whilst drunk ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **17\. Meeting at a Party Whilst Drunk AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Catelyn fell down on the red couch; her feet were heavy and her mouth dry.

After a while, a guy around her age fell down beside her. After a few minutes of silence he reached out and grabbed a lock of her hair.

"Pretty," he said, delicately twirling her hair around his finger before letting go.

"No touch," Catelyn said, waving her hand towards him with the intent on slapping his hand away.

The guy grabbed onto it, lacing his fingers with hers as they both just sat there. Catelyn looked over and saw him just sitting there, leaning back against the sofa, his eyes closed.

"Are you sleeping?" she asked, using her free hand to poke his bearded cheek.

"No," he groaned.

She sat better up and leaned over and pressed her lips against his. Why she thought this was a good idea she had no clue, but she had never kissed anyone with a beard before and she felt like trying it tonight.

He kissed her back and his little moustache tickled her upper lip as her nose brushed against his.

She pulled back and leaned against the sofa again, thinking that she liked kissing guys with beards.

The End.


	13. Broken Hearts Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned and Cat device a plan to get back at their exes for cheating on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **7\. Fake Relationship AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Ned had always promised himself never to be this guy, never let the girls his brother threw away like used rags, to use him to get back at his less than honourable brother.

That had been before he had walked in on his so called brother screwing his girlfriend on the kitchen counter in their father’s house. Ashara’s black hair falling down from the counter to the chair, Ned had sat on almost every morning for 10 years to eat his breakfast. All of a sudden, the angry look in Catelyn Tully’s bright blue eyes made much more sense. She and Brandon had broken up almost two months ago, after four years of dating. Now he knew why.

The first time they had put on their little show was at a gala hosted by the Lannisters for prominent business men in Westeros, and both Rickard Stark and Hoster Tully had been invited along with their families. So he and Catelyn decided this was as good of an opportunity as any, since Brandon and Ashara would both be in attendance.

Ned remembered his father’s surprise when he saw his second son escorting his brother’s former fiancé around the floor only three months after her surprise breakup with Brandon. Hoster and Brynden Tully on the other hand were anything but amused, and Ned could feel their eyes on him at all times.

After an hour, Catelyn had dragged him out of the ballroom, intentionally passing by a seething Brandon - Ashara watching with curious eyes from where she stood with the Lannister twins near the bar.

Catelyn pulled him into some strange room and clicked the lock into place.

“Do you think they bought it?” she said as she chewed on her lower lip, her hand still firmly held in his grip.

“I don’t know. How long should we stay here?” he said, looking around. “Are you sure we can stay here?”

“Oh yeah, Cersei said I should take you here.” Catelyn said, finally pulling her hand free from his grip.

“You told Cersei Lannister,” Ned asked, surprised. The girl was, after all, the biggest gossip Ned had ever known.

“Of course not! Cersei can’t keep a secret to save her life,” Catelyn exclaimed, “I told her that we planned to hook up.”

The words sounded so inconsequential, like this was something she did every day – and Ned knew that wasn’t the case. Memories of Brandon’s boasting came up like an unwelcomed nightmare. The description of her breasts, the way she smelled, the frown on her face when they had slept together for the first time. It made Ned feel ill, so he turned around, focusing instead on the seaside view from the high window.

“You all right?” she asked, her hand coming to rest lightly on his shoulder.

“Fine,” he said in a gruff voice.

“If you want to stop, I’ll understand,” she said understandingly, although her voice trembled a bit.

Ned turned around, not realizing she was so close he almost stepped on her stiletto clad feet, his hand grabbing her waist so she wouldn’t fall over.

“Sorry,” he said as she got her bearings again.

“I’m okay, thank you,” she said, pushing her long hair behind her ear.

“Why don’t we at least sit down?” Ned suggested, guiding her towards a pair of armchairs near the fireplace.

They struck up a cordial conversation, which then turned into a deeper, and more meaningful one, and before they knew it, someone was banging at the door and when he looked at the time, it had been well over an hour since they had left the ballroom.

Catelyn had quickly messed her hair a bit, and then quickly turned her attentions on him, loosening his tie and running her hair through his hair, her nails raking against his scalp in a way that forced Ned to bite down on his tongue so that he didn’t let out a groan.

When Catelyn felt they looked sexed up enough, she grabbed his hand again and pulled him out of the room, nearly bumping into his brother on their way out. Ned was about to apologize, for what he wasn’t sure, but Catelyn quickly pulled him away, not even glancing in Brandon’s direction.

After that night things moved pretty quickly, they hadn’t planned to have it be anything more than just a few times of hand holding and maybe a kiss or two, but then a kiss turned into a make out session and a few nights turned into a couple of months.

Brandon, as expected, was furious, growling and moaning over the fact that even though they were broken up, Catelyn was still his, like he had put his brand on her and now nobody else could touch her, especially not Ned. Which of course made Ned even more resolved to have their fake relationship last a bit longer.

It had been over three months when something changed, they had been watching a movie at her place, just lying on her sofa, cuddled together when she turned her face upward and placed a kiss on his lips. Instinctively Ned responded, pulling her closer, opening his lips to her probing tongue, dragging his finger through her soft hair.

When they pulled apart, Ned stared at her, probably looking like a deer caught in headlights.

“What was that?” Ned asked, not in the mood to beat around the bushes.

Catelyn bit her lip and sat up, and Ned already missed the warmth of her body, the sweet weight of her body on top of his.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, I just thought…” she stopped speaking and bit her lip again, and despite trying his best to listen to her words, all Ned could focus on were her white teeth biting down on her red lips.

He placed his hand against the back of her head, cradling it in his palm as he pulled her face towards him, pressing his lips against hers. As he had done before, she instantly responded, her nails digging into his scalp the way they had done that day at the Lannister’s party, only this time Ned didn’t have to swallow his groan.

The End.


	14. Awkward Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned literally bumps into his lady wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **24\. Literally Bumping into Each Other AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Ned walked around the castle trying to avoid his lady wife, not that she would go looking for him. Catelyn was still quite upset with him, understandably, and had not sought him out for any reason in the six moons since she had arrived with their son.

The castle was large and people were in abundance, specially these days. So Ned should not be worried about running into her.

It had been a week since the incident, and she had not asked him any other questions since, not even during the sparse moments they were forced to be in the same room. No, he undoubtedly frightened her enough so that she would not do so again. Which was good and yet unfortunate.

Ned had felt that ice between them had started to thaw and they were bonding, despite the dishonour he had brought upon them, but now he worried that there might be no hope.

It had been necessary, he could not speak about his secret with her and yet he didn’t want to lie, because he had learned at a young age that keeping your lies straight becomes difficult after a while.

Instead, Ned had frightened his wife enough so that she would never ask another question about Jon. He would just have to live with the consequences, and the memory of her blue eyes staring at him in fear. The same eyes that had looked so clear on the night of their wedding - she would never look at him like that again.

Ned was so deep in thought, he wasn’t paying attention when he rounded a corner and without seeing who it was, he bumped right into someone, knocking them to the ground.

“I’m terribly sorry.” Ned started to apologize when he noticed that it was his lady wife, he had so ungraciously knocked down, and in the process spilled a red coloured liquid all over her blue dress.

Ned quickly got down on his knees, pulling out his handkerchief and started trying to get the red mess off her dress.

“I’m terribly sorry, my lady. I wasn’t watching where I was going…” Ned mumbled, still trying to get the colour off, not noticing at all she was calling his name.

“My lord, please. NED!” she said harshly, pushing his hands off her, only then did he realize he had been running his hand all over the top of her dress - over her breasts.

“I’m terribly sorry, my lady,” Ned squeaked, his face warm as he pulled Catelyn up off the floor.

“No harm, my lord, although I think this dress might be ruined,” she said, looking down to inspect the dress.

The red dye had not only spilled on her dress, but her hair as well and now it was all over him as well.

“If you will excuse me, my lord, I need to go clean up,” she said, inspecting her hair as she walked away.

“Catelyn,” Ned called out before she could get too far away.

“Yes, my lord,” she asked, her eyes blinking when he did not speak.

“I’m sorry,” he said, trying as he could to apologize for everything else as well. As if sensing his word carried a heavier load, she smiled softly, nodding her head before departing.

Perhaps everything would turn with the changing seasons, wolves might be beasts of winter, but his wife was from the south and maybe they would be able to speak the same language with the promise of spring.

The End.


	15. The Long Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment during the morning Ned leaves for the Iron Islands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **29\. Going Away to War (AU) - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

It had only been seven years since the last war and then she had been far more frightened for her father, than the solemn stranger whose face she had never seen before their wedding day.

However, this time she wasn’t as cavalier about him leaving her for war. Possibly leaving her a widow and their children fatherless.

"I must go," he whispered into her hair as they lay in bed, pressed tightly together.

"I know," she replied, stroking over the scars on his chest from the previous war. "It does not mean I have to like it."

"No," he said, pulling his hand from her hair, pressing a kiss to her lips before sitting up on the edge of the bed.

"The sun is not even up yet," Catelyn complained, pulling the furs tighter around her.

"I need to go over the provisions and speak with the men," he stopped and hesitated. "I also haven’t said goodbye to the children, and if I stay here any longer it will be harder to leave."

Catelyn said nothing; there was nothing to say. They both knew their duties, they both knew he could not stay - and yet she must.

She sat up behind him, pressing herself against him.

"I shall miss you," she whispered against the skin of his back.

"And I you," he groaned, before standing up. Strutting over to the windows to shut them tight. Pulling his trousers on before returning for his boots.

"I shall see you later, my lady," he said, bending over to press his lips against hers one last time.

The End


	16. Unforseen Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned and Cat hook up at their friends’ wedding, with unexpected results.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **5\. One Night Stand and Falling Pregnant AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
>  **Warning:** minor smut and bad language.

Ned Stark awoke with the worst headache of his life, and cursed himself for drinking the last three drinks last night. Why he didn’t listen to himself, he didn’t know, especially since he always gave such excellent advice, if he did say so himself, but lately he seemed to ignore his own advice quite frequently.

Ned tried to stretch out his arms, which was when he noticed, or more accurately, felt a warm, naked body pressed against him, holding his arm hostage. He tried to open his weary eyes, cursing the sun when the morning light blinded him, which was shining through the thin curtains. After using his free arm to rub his eyes, he looked down at his arm and found a mess of auburn hair, attached to what Ned could only assume was a woman.

Looking at her hair, Ned started to get flashes of memories from the night before, of Cersei Lannister’s maiden of honour, of her bright hair and a contagious smile. Of her lips pressed against his, as his palm cupped her heavy breast.

Oh gods! He had slept with one of Cersei Lannister’s friends! How could he! Ned tried to remember if he had even spoken to her at all, but even the rehearsal dinner the evening before the wedding was hazy.

As he lay there trying to gather his thoughts, the person lying next to him started to stir, a throaty moan cast into the air, spiralling his mind with flashes of moments, the same moaned rung in Ned’s ears, reminding him of a musky smell that made his cock harden, and long fingers running through his hair, nails digging into the scalp, as she prayed for release.

Ned was too involved with his memory, he didn’t noticed his arm being freed, until he opened his eyes and looked up into a pair of river blue eyes, the same ones he had seen in his dream, only then they had been almost black with desire, and not laced with sleep and confusion.

"What happened?" the woman asked, running a hand through her hair, trying to untangle the worst of the knots.

Ned didn’t answer, unsure of what he should say, he was not exactly an expert on one night stands.

"Are you alright?" she asked, pressing the back of her hand against his face. "Your face is all red."

It was hot in there, and his cock was hard, tenting the sheet that was thrown over him.

"Fine," Ned grumbled, sitting up, making sure the sheet was hiding his lower region.

She said nothing, only smiled a little, and pulled the other sheet tightly around her, leaving only her shoulders, head and hands exposed. Ned’s eyes wandered over the pale skin, following a line of freckles that disappeared beneath the sheet and something told him that the freckles covered her breasts as well and that he had licked every one of them last night.

Without a word to him, the woman, whom Ned recalled had some sort of animal name, rose from the bed and swiftly disappeared into the bathroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He looked around the room, wondering if he should leave or stay, if this was her room or his. The black duffle bag still unpacked on the desk told him they were in fact in his room, so he really had nowhere else to go.

The sound of the shower shook him into action and he quickly got up and went to his bag, putting on some pants and a T-shirt.

He walked around the room, picking up various articles of clothing, one of which was his white dress shirt, all of its buttons missing, and Ned was assaulted by a memory of her ripping it open when she couldn’t open the buttons fast enough, and Ned remembered not caring at all when she had done so, two of his fingers buried inside her and his mouth on her neck.

Ned had to literally shake himself to bring his mind back to his present situation and not lose himself in the circumstances that got him into it. If these flashes wouldn’t stop soon, he’d be in dire need of an ice cold shower.

He finished picking up his clothing and put them all down on a chair to be folded later. He looked around and saw her light blue bridesmaid’s dress that had brought out her eyes laying on the floor, and a white strapless bra that had been thrown onto the television. He quickly grabbed both, putting them on the bed, as he did so, he also found her underwear. He wondered if he should leave them, but really what did it matter if he picked them up, after all he had already touched them the night before.

The shower had stopped running and when she emerged, wrapped in a towel, Ned had no idea what to say to her.

"Thanks," she said hesitantly, picking up her clothes from the day before.

"Uhm, yeah, no problem," Ned stuttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Are you done with the bathroom?"

"Oh, yeah, go ahead, sorry," she said flustered.

Ned quickly disappeared into the bathroom, and he wondered if she’d leave while he was in there – maybe that would be for the best.

After he finished up and walked back into the room, she was already dressed and sitting on his bed, waiting for him.

"So, uhm, I don’t usually do this," she said shyly.

"Neither do I," Ned quickly added.

She only smiled at that, seeming unconvinced.

"So let’s just forget about it," she casually suggested. "What are the chances we’ll see each other again?"

She had a point, she lived somewhere in the South, but he was intending on going back to the North after the summer, distance would be their friend.

"I guess not," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Alright then," she said briskly, before standing up. "Thanks for last night."

She made no move to actually leave, only stood there awkwardly, twisting the string on her bag around her hand.

"Would you like to have breakfast or something?" Ned asked, not sure what she wanted, or if she wanted anything at all.

"No, but thanks. I’m meeting the rest of the bridesmaids for brunch,” she said, before quickly adding. "I’m sorry for the awkwardness."

"It’s fine, I’m not doing so great either," Ned confessed.

She smiled widely at him, and extended out her hand to him. Ned grasped it and shook it firmly, trying to forget what it had felt like when she had it wrapped around his cock.

After she left, Ned tried to clean up a bit, putting away stuff before he left.

When he threw away some trash, he noticed two wrappers on the night stand, as well as two used condoms in the trash, and sudden relief washed over him. At least they hadn’t been too drunk to remember to use condoms, especially since Ned hadn’t even thought of it before he saw them.

-

Ned had returned to the North a couple of weeks after Robert’s wedding, and while he liked his new job, he missed certain things from the South.

He just couldn’t place what exactly he missed, but there was something.

It had been over two months now since he’d seen her last – that swing of her hair when the door clicked behind her – yet he couldn’t forget.

Her long auburn hair and milky skin still haunted his dreams. Robert would have told him to fuck another girl to get her out of his system. Ned shook his head at the thoughts, returning to his work.

As if knowing Ned had been thinking about him, Ned saw his phone flashing, a picture of Robert’s face taking up the whole screen.

"Hello," Ned answered.

"Dude, I had no idea you had it in you?" Robert bellowed so loudly Ned had to pull the phone away from his ear. "Congrats!"

"Robert, it’s early. What are you going on about?" Ned asked, finally able to put the phone against his ear.

"Cersei is furious with you by the way. Thinks you abandoned her friend or something, but I stood up for you man! Told her you weren’t like that," Robert said, confusing Ned even more. "She’s wicked hot though, what she is doing with a mud face like you, the Gods only know. Why didn’t you tell me man?"

"Robert, I have no idea what you are talking about," Ned said again, after Robert finished his speech.

Ned stood up, looking out the window of his office, thanking the gods he no longer worked in the bullpen, all ears perked open to hear the latest scandal, although usually it was Robert who had done something wrong and not Ned.

"Catelyn!" Robert bellowed. "Cersei’s nice friend.”

Ned had to contain himself, so he didn’t snort at Robert’s description.

"The red head you banged at my wedding," he said, sounding confused. "You don’t remember? No offense, but it isn’t like your cock gets a lot of action."

"Robert!" Ned growled, but his brain started working overtime. Cat! That was what she had called herself! Catelyn. Cat. Well, she had certainly been limber enough, Ned thought to himself, flashes of that night once more invading his consciousness.

"So are you guys gonna be together or what? Are you coming back to King’s Landing?” Robert asked, sounding as excited as a child on Christmas.

"Why would I?" Ned asked. "We both agreed that it was a one time thing."

Ned wasn’t too surprised she had told Cersei, after all, girls seemed to share everything with one another. However, he was surprised Cersei had shared it with Robert, or that she would be mad at him, when Cat had pretty much made the decision for the both of them.

"Oh, man. You don’t know?" Robert gulped.

"Know what?" Ned growled at his friend.

"Uhm, dude, you got that girl pregnant," Robert said casually, as if Ned was like Robert, leaving women pregnant all over the place.

Pregnant! All of sudden it hit him like a block of concrete had been laid on top of his chest, weighing him down. A baby. His baby.

"Ned, Ned! Are you still there?" Robert yelled.

"Robert I have to go," Ned said, not waiting for a reply before hanging up.

Ned walked over to the sofa and quickly sat down, burying his face in his hands.

They had used protection! Hadn’t they? He was pretty sure. Although it wasn’t a sure thing, he knew that, he should have been prepared, he should have called.

Why hadn’t she called? She should have called him. But how?

Ned sat there for a good hour before coming up with a solid plan, and he quickly walked down the hallway towards his father’s office, feeling his tail dragging behind him.

-

Absence had made him forget the terrible heat and foul smell that clung to King’s Landing, but after three months in the North, he had gotten used to the clean air and comfortable cool.

He had stopped by at his hotel, dropping off his bags and calling Robert. His friend had been too frightened of his wife to call her and ask for her friend’s home address, but Robert knew that Cat worked at an elementary school near flee bottom, and had given him the address.

Now Ned was seated in his car like a stalker, waiting for the bells to ring for recess.

He didn’t have to wait long and after some fifty children had come outside, he saw her red hair, she was escorting her students outside, but then she quickly retreated back inside before he got a good look at her.

Ned quickly got out of his car and ran into the building, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but no such luck.

A kid walked passed him, probably no older than seven.

"Are you lost, Mr?" He asked.

"Uhm, yeah, I’m looking for my friend, she’s a teacher here. Her name is Catelyn and she has long red hair," he said. "Do you know where her classroom is?"

"Oh yeah, she’s real pretty," the boy said, a dreamy look in his eyes that made Ned frown. "It’s number 125, it’s for the first graders. I’m in second grade."

The kid looked pretty happy with himself, beaming up at Ned.

"That’s great kid, thanks for your help," Ned said, walking down the hallway, watching the numbers on the doors until he reached the end of the corridor, and saw the number 125 in silver letters.

Ned knocked on the closed door, and a soft voice called for him to enter.

She was writing something down in a book, her eyes only looking up when the door closed behind him.

She was about to speak, but no words came out as she stared at him, her mouth half opened.

"Hi," Ned said, looking down her body as she stood up, her figure as slim as before, except for a small bump that had started to form over her belly.

"What are you doing here?" Were her first words to him, her hand falling protectively over her bump.

“I came to see if Robert was telling the truth,” Ned said in a harsh manner, angry that she would hide this from him. “Is it mine?”

His growl made her take a step back from him, her head hanging down, but she faintly nodded.

“There hadn’t been anyone else in some time,” she said, trying to explain why she thought he was the father.

He didn’t care if there had been others, he only cared that she was carrying his child and didn’t seem to think he had the right to know about it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ned asked, wanting to hear a reason, needing to hear an explanation.

“I have class in a few minutes, can we do this later?” she pleaded, her hand still protecting their child. Protecting it from him.

“No, I want to know why you didn’t tell me,” Ned insisted. “I have a right to know I’m going to be a father!”

“You didn’t exactly leave your number,” she hissed at him.

“You could have easily asked Robert for my number,” Ned said defensively. “And it was you that left, not me.”

This was stupid. They were fighting over something that didn’t matter at all. Picking a fight with each other for no reason.

“I’m sorry,” Ned said, before this got uglier. “I didn’t come here to argue with you.”

Cat didn’t respond, only looked at him with scepticism in her blue eyes, and for the first time, Ned allowed himself to think of the baby they had made, and he wondered if it would inherit its mother’s blue eyes.

“I’m working until four, why don’t you come by my place around five and we can talk. My sister is out of town, so we’ll have some privacy,” she said, writing something on a posted note and handing it over, their fingers briefly brushing together.

In neat letters an address was written and Ned looked closely at her, wondering if she was trying to trick him, but there was no deception in her eyes, only concern and a hint of hope.

“I’ll see you then,” Ned said firmly, trying to leave no doubt that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Tonight,” she whispered, a small smile on her lips.

The End.


	17. Happily (N)Ever After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned is miserable at his brother’s wedding, and misery loves company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **22\. Two Miserable People Meet at a Wedding AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Ned had never thought this would happen, Brandon was married.

With over a hundred people invited and the bride’s father beaming with pride, Ned couldn’t have been more miserable. This was a total a scam, this was not what marriage was supposed to be about.

Brandon’s bachelor party had been the night before and sure enough, Brandon had not even walked down the aisle before he was in bed with another girl.

When Ned had confronted him, Brandon had confessed that he was only marrying his bride because she was pregnant, and in exchange for marrying her, Brandon would get to do as he pleased.

What a sham! Ned thought as he walked around the banquet hall, watching Brandon spinning his new bride on the dance floor.

"He looks happy enough," a quiet voice said beside him.

He looked over and saw Catelyn Tully standing beside him, holding a glass of champagne in her hand, hardly touched.

”Mhm,” Ned grunted.

He could not for the life of him understand what had possessed his brother to invite his ex-girlfriend to his wedding, especially knowing Catelyn was too well bred to refuse unless she was otherwise occupied, which she had apparently not been.

"How are you?" Catelyn asked, as if this were somehow as difficult for him as it was for her.

"Fine, what are you doing here?" Ned asked, harsher than he had intended, but she did not flinch.

"I guess I had to see it for myself," she said. "So, how far along is she?"

She laughed when he looked at her; apparently he looked quite surprised.

"Come on, we both know Brandon. Why else would he marry Barbrey Ryswell?" Catelyn said, laughter still present in her voice.

"Well, he might care for her?" Ned tried to defend his brother, but even to his own ears his words sounded hollow.

"Brandon only truly loves one person, and that person is not the blushing bride," Catelyn said, before drowning her glass of champagne, placing it on the nearest table.

Her words told him she was clearly drunker than he had first thought. Catelyn was honest, but never brutal about it unless she had to be, always mindful of her manner, which is why she was here in the first place.

Though Ned could not blame her, she had been dating Brandon for three years when she caught him cheating on her. Only to later find out Ashara Dayne was not the only girl that Brandon had been showing a good time.

Ned had not known her then, not truly, she had been Brandon’s girlfriend, and Ned had gone to school in the Vale, while Brandon had stayed in the North.

Yet the few times he had met her he had found her quite charming and very much too nice to be with someone like Brandon.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Ned asked without thinking.

"You're his best man, you can’t leave,” Catelyn said, biting her lip.

"I don’t care," Ned said quickly, shaking his head when she looked up at him with doubt. "Well, I do, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to stay. If anyone can understand, it’s Brandon. Also Ben can complete the best man’s duties."

Catelyn did not reply, instead she slipped her hand in his, and nodded her head.

The End


	18. Future Mrs Stark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned goes with Robert to a masquerade ball and meets someone unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **34\. Meeting at a Masquerade Ball - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Ned couldn’t believe he had allowed Robert to convince him to come to this event. He tugged again on the mask over his eyes and wondered if he’d have marks on the side of his face tomorrow.

A server walked by and Ned quickly grabbed a glass of champagne off the tray and drained it in one go, quickly dumping it onto another server’s tray.

He obviously recognized no one, since everyone was covered with different sized masks and it wasn’t like people often went out in their tuxedos and ball gowns.

There were a lot of couples on the dance floor and Ned recognized Robert’s outfit, as well as his extravagant dance moves as he swung some brunette around the dance floor.

He was about to find the bar when his eyes caught sight of the most gorgeous hair he’d ever seen. The woman it belonged to was tall, her gown a river blue colour and her hair the most beautiful auburn.

When she turned around, he could see blue eyes framed by a cat shaped mask. She was laughing along with her companion, a tall, dark haired man Ned felt he should recognize, but couldn’t quite place.

He was about to walk away when he heard the soft laughter from the beautiful woman, shortly followed by his brother’s rowdy laughter.

Brandon! Of course! That’s how he knew the man, and despite not having seen his brother in over a year, he still knew that laughter.

Ned moved across the floor and stopped as the woman’s blue eyes caught his, her head tilting to the side as she probably tried to place him.

"Hello, Brandon," Ned greeted his brother, who took a double take before engulfing Ned in a bear hug.

"NED!" Brandon bellowed. "Wow, I did not expect to see you at such an event."

"No, this isn’t really my scene. I came with Robert, he insisted," Ned answered, looking between his brother and the woman by his side.

"Leave it to Robert to drag my dull brother out of the house," Brandon said, slamming Ned on the back.

"Brandon!" the red head admonished.

"Relax Cat, this is my brother," Brandon said, waving towards Ned while shrugging. "By the way, Cat this is Eddard, my little baby brother and my mother’s pride and joy," Brandon spoke, grinning when he caught Ned’s frown. "Ned this is my future bride Catelyn Tully."

Ned’s eyes almost burst out of his head at the thought of his brother being married, even if it were to a beautiful woman like Ms Tully.

"Funny Brandon! Hi, I’m Catelyn and I am never ever going to marry your self-obsessed brother," Ms. Tully said, extending a hand out to Ned, who took it as he told her to call him Ned.

"Oh, Cat. You wound my feelings and here I have picked out a ring and everything," Brandon feigned hurt, pouting as Ms. Tully shoved a hand in Brandon’s face, pulling the mask so it snapped back against Brandon’s face.

"See Ned, a match made in heaven," Brandon joked, but quickly, his eyes wandered as he caught sight of a female guest that wore so little, Ned wondered if it could even be called a gown.

"Keep Cat here company for a little bit, huh, Ned. I’ll be right back." Brandon was gone before Ned could speak.

"I’m sorry, Ms Tully," Ned said.

She only laughed and smiled at him, her white teeth biting down on her lower lip.

"It’s alright Ned, I’m quite used to it by now. Brandon and I work together at your father’s company," Ms. Tully said. "I’m afraid your father put me off limits to your brother, and Brandon is only afraid of one thing, or should I say one man. So he has decided to make me one of his wingmen instead."

She rolled her blue eyes and turned to look around the room.

"Oh, you’re that Tully," Ned finally realized, remembering his father speaking of one of Hoster Tully’s children coming to work at Stark Industries last fall.

"Yep, that’s me," Ms Tully laughed.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t…" Ned stopped when she laughed at him.

"Do you wanna get out of here?” Ms. Tully offered. “I know this really great place that serves some pretty good burgers and beer.”

"I’d like that," Ned said as he took her extended hand and allowed her to drag him away from this place.

The End.


	19. Unrecognizable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a rough birth Catelyn become addicted to pain killers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **35\. One of Them Trying to get the Other off of Drugs - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

The children were all with his father in-law, even little Brandon, who sometimes still woke during the night in need of comfort and a diaper change, but Ned couldn’t allow this to go on.

His wife was still fast asleep so he used the time to search their house, and even though he knew she had a problem, he was astounded at the amount of pain killers he found.

After Brandon’s traumatizing birth, Cat had been in a drug induced coma and when she woke, she had been too weak and in too much pain to breast feed him. So, much to her disappointment, Brandon was given formula and Catelyn had been given Vicodin.

So with no need to keep her body free of toxics, his wife had succumbed to the use of the heavy painkillers the doctor had prescribed, and apparently she had also found a new doctor, because all the bottles had the same name, and it was not Dr Luwin’s. But someone named Pycelle.

Ned took all the bottles into the guest bathroom and started flushing them down, he was too distracted with his thoughts that he didn’t hear his wife walking down the hallway until she was standing behind him.

"Morning, wher…” Her voice startled him so he turned towards her, still holding one of the last bottles. “What are you doing!”

She jumped forward, grabbing at the empty bottles, looking like a woman possessed. Ned could not recognize this person, this was not his wife.

"Cat, please calm down, I’m doing this for your own good, we talked about this," he grabbed her shoulders, her body shaking with all the adrenaline running through her body.

"NO! YOU TALKED," she screamed accusingly, followed by a string of words, he had never before heard her say before, and he knew he was doing the right thing. She needed help, perhaps even more help than he could provide.

"Yes, I talked, and your father," he said soothingly ones she was finished. "And our son."

Ned had to use all his strength not get too emotional, not to yell, not to cry.

Robb was only eight, just a little boy, but he understood. He knew. The woman who had left him to give birth to his new baby brother was not the same woman that had returned, and he just wanted his mom back. So did Ned.

When Ned mentioned Robb, Catelyn’s face fell, just as it had the day before, when they had tried to intervene before she was sucked further into oblivion. Ned had wanted to keep the children out of it, and the others had agreed, but Robb had known something was going on and had escaped Old Nan who had been watching the kids upstairs.

Again tears appeared in her eyes, but this time, Ned quickly wrapped her in his arms, folding her body into his. Stroking over her hair as she cried.

The End


	20. Procrastination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catelyn misses a few classes and goes to see the professor about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **3\. Teacher/ Student AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Catelyn ran up the stairs, taking two at a time, her heart beating fast in her chest and her face red.

Not exactly the ideal look to have when meeting your new professor after missing his first two classes.

Eddard Stark. The micro economics teacher she had never laid eyes on.

Finally, she was outside his office, just in time for her scheduled appointment.

Catelyn tried to smooth out her ponytail and her shirt, but before she could look over herself, the door in front of her opened and a young man was looking her over, his grey eyes peering over his glasses.

"Hi, I’m Catelyn Tully, I’m here to see professor Stark," she managed to say between gasps of breath.

"Nice to meet you, Ms Tully," the man said, extending a hand out to her. "But I should warn you, I’m no professor, just a lowly lecturer."

"Oh, my. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize," she said flustered.

He was so young, probably not even thirty yet, though his face looked older, and his grey eyes bore the hint of wisdom above his years.

"No worries," he replied with a hint of a smile. "It is a common mistake. Now please, come in, you’re right on time."

"Thank you," she said, walking into his office, waiting for him to close the door before taking a seat across from his desk.

"Would you like some coffee? Or perhaps water?" He offered before taking his own seat.

"No, but thank you," she said, waiting for him to be seated before continuing. "I’m terribly sorry for missing your first two classes, I knew when I signed up that attendance would be taken in your class, but unfortunately my son was sick, and my father is out of town, so there was no one to watch him."

"This isn’t grade school, Ms Tully. I don’t take attendance so I can send your parents a note, I do it because the material we are covering is extensive and you’ll fall behind if you miss too many classes," he said, his voice even and calm, if not a little cold.

"I understand, Mr Stark. I’ve read all the materials for this week, and done the work. I’m also in a study group with three other students, I won’t fall behind," she pleaded.

Catelyn needed this class, she only had two semesters left of her studies, she had dropped out before finishing when she had gotten pregnant with Robb, and then after she had given birth, Brandon had insisted she stay home with their son. Feeling exhausted and isolated, Catelyn had agreed, and while she loved Robb more than life itself, it had been a mistake, just as marrying Brandon had been a mistake.

"Alright, Ms Tully, if you think you can handle it, I see no reason not to allow you to continue, but if you start falling behind, you should know you can drop a class as late as the first of October," he said, pulling his glasses off his nose. "Children, while precious, can take up a lot of time."

"Oh, tell me about it," Catelyn laughed. "Do you have any?" she had asked without thinking. “Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”

"It’s alright," he said, smiling fondly towards a picture on his desk, telling her more than his words. "I have a four year old son."

"My son’s also four, it’s an interesting age," she said dreamily.

"It is," he replied, this time smiling at her, their eyes meeting, and Catelyn felt a strange pull towards him.

"Thank you," she said, shaking her head a little when they broke eye contact. "I don’t want to take up anymore of your time."

"That’s alright Ms Tully," he said, appearing as shaken as she was. "And if there is anything else, my door is always open."

"Thank you," she said, before quickly walking out of the room, leaning against the wall next to the door.

She might have to change classes, she couldn’t possibly sit in class and not think of those grey eyes, and his youthful smile.

This was not how she had planned her return to school. Why couldn’t he just be an old man like the rest of them?

The End.


	21. Platform 9 ¾

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned meets a Tully on his way to Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **5\. Meeting on a Train - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Rickard Stark looked as intimidating as always when he squeezed Ned’s shoulder and wished him luck.

"You’ll do fine, son," his father tried to soothe, but all Ned heard was that he should choose correctly.

Gryffindor had been the Starks house since the dawn of Hogwarts. Brandon the builder had been a friend of Godric Gryffindor, sharing many of his values.

Ned felt not brave at all, although he was certain that the test would not include any dragons, despite what his brother had said, after all they were only eleven.

Thinking of his brother, he wondered where he had disappeared to. He had barely said goodbye to their parents and a moody Lyanna before running after his friends.

Ned was about to say goodbye when he caught a glimpse of a girl with auburn hair, standing to the side with her own parents. Her mother pulling a leaf out the girl’s hair as she bent over to kiss her, making Ned wonder if the girl had been climbing in a tree before coming here.

Ned recognized the man as Hoster Tully. He was on the council with his father.

The Tullys were an old family as well. One of the last descendants of Helga Hufflepuff, who’s great, great great gre… How ever many great, granddaughter had married into the Tully family, thus the Hufflepuff name had died out.

Yet the Tullys remained, and if the Starks were Gryffindors, then the Tullys were Hufflepuffs, the whole lot of them. Even their words could be translated into Family, Duty, Honour. Words said to be taught to every Tully babe.

His mother touched his shoulder, dragging him away from his thoughts.

"Don’t worry Eddard," she said with a soft smile. "You’ll be fine."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek and his father had gripped his shoulder tightly. Poor Lya had cried herself to sleep the night before, resenting being left behind while her brothers went away. But now she stepped forward at their father’s encouragement, and wrapped her smaller arms around him.

"Promise you’ll write," she said sternly. "Brandon never does, so you have to promise."

"I promise Lya," he said, hugging her one last time before getting on board the train, looking for an empty compartment.

When he found one in the back of the train, he rolled his trunk inside, and sat down, pressing his cheek against the glass as he looked out at his parents.

The door opened, startling him, and in walked the Tully girl, her heavy trunk being dragged behind her.

"Hi, sorry. Is it alright if I stay here, all the others are taken?" she explained, pushing her bangs out of her eyes.

"Yeah," Ned answered with a shrug. "Do you need help?"

"No, but thanks," she said, as she pushed it the last meter into the compartment, completely out of breath.

"Hi, I’m Catelyn Tully," she said, extending a hand out to him.

"Ned Stark," he replied, shaking her hand.

She smiled brightly at him and sat down on the seat opposite him, pressing her own face against the window, waving to her family as the train pulled out of the station.

The train ran smoothly on the tracks and Ned was soothed by the motions of the cart, leaning his head against the window.

"So do you think you’ll be a Gryffindor?" she asked, making Ned frown.

She had a sweet smile and her blue eyes sparkled in the morning sun.

"Don’t know," Ned answered, shrugging his shoulders.

Catelyn leaned her head to the side, as if inspecting him.

"Do you want to be?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

Ned had never much thought about it. The Starks were Gryffindors, his parents had both been Gryffindors, and so had his grandparents. He did have a distant relative that was a Slytherin, but he wasn’t really a Stark, but a Flint. He always just assumed he’d be a Gryffindor as well.

"I don’t know," Ned answered honestly.

"My mom says I shouldn’t let history control my future, that I need to make my own steps in the snow," Catelyn said, a look on her face indicated she was unsure how she felt about that. "But what if there is a crack in the ice beneath the snow and I fall into freezing cold water."

"Hope you can swim?" Ned suggested.

Catelyn smiled sweetly at that, and he was taken back by how much he liked her smile.

"So you think you’re gonna be a Hufflepuff?” he asked.

"Yes," she said without hesitation.

"You sound so sure," Ned observed, wishing he could feel that confident.

She didn’t reply, only shrugging her shoulders.

"If I’m not, then I won’t be," she said. "My family will still be my family, and I’ll still be me. My dad told me to trust the test and to keep an open mind, all the houses are equally a part of Hogwarts, and therefore just getting my letter was enough to make them proud."

Ned said nothing in return, just turned back to the window, not even noticing the lady with the food trolley.

"Do you want something, dear?" she asked him, Catelyn having already picked a couple of things.

Ned shook his head, his stomach in knots.

Catelyn moved over to his side of the cart, putting down her refreshments, before taking one of his hands in hers.

For the rest of the trip they sat there in silence, hand linked together.

The End.  


	22. The Back Row

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned and Cat try to spy on their daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **11\. Partners in Crime AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

"Hush, they’ll hear us," she whispered to him, leaning a bit to the left to see better.

"I don’t care, that boy has his paws all over my baby," Ned growled, pouting in his seat as he stuffed some popcorn into his mouth.

"He’s barely touching her shoulder," Catelyn said. "Just be grateful he didn’t take her to the back row."

Ned actually growled at her and she had to stifle a laugh. He had been all wound up about Sansa’s first date and the only reason she was in a movie theatre watching some teenage romance flick was because Ned had been tearing his hair out with worry about Sansa and it was Catelyn’s job to tear his hair out. Preferably while his mouth was doing something very different from frowning.

"I know boys, he’s just waiting to make a move," Ned grumbled, shoving more popcorn into his mouth.

"Oh really, because I recall you taking me to a movie theatre for our first date," Catelyn teased him. "So all you were thinking about was if you could casually grope my breasts?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Ned answered. "In my defence, I was only seventeen and you had really great tits… still do."

All casual he dropped his arm around her shoulder, his hand softly stroked over her breast before she elbowed him in the gut.

”Ugh,” Ned moaned as he lost his breath. “No need for violence, I was just making a point.”

"Well, there seems to be nothing to worry about, the movie is almost over and they haven’t even kissed yet, so I think we should leave before we are discovered," Catelyn suggested, pulling on his hand.

"Oh come on Cat, we’re sitting the back row of a scarcely populated movie theatre, no kids, no phone, no nothing," he said, his nose brushing against her neck.

"If you could drag your head back to the ground you’d remember that the reason why we are here in the first place is because you didn’t trust our daughter, who is sitting four rows in front of us," Catelyn reminded him, but her resolve was quickly weaning as his hand stroked over her thigh.

"I’ll be quiet," Ned promised, pressing his lips against hers.

Catelyn moaned into his mouth, the hand rest digging into her skin as she tried to lean closer to him. They were so engaged with one another that they did not notice the movie ending and the lights being turned on.

“MOM!” a voice cried out from behind Catelyn, and she quickly turned around, to see her daughter’s horrified expression. “DADDY! You promised!”

They were so busted.

The End.


	23. 1 in a 100

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat and Ned are roommates in KL, but when Cat has an awful fight with her bf and goes out drinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **8\. Roommates AU + 5. One Night Stand and Falling - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
>  **Warnings:** sexual references and bad language.

Catelyn’s father hadn’t been happy at all when she had told him she had gotten a male roommate. Yet for some reason, he’d felt better that she lived with a stranger than her boyfriend. Because apparently she wouldn’t be sleeping with her boyfriend if another person lived with her. Hoster Tully hadn’t said as much, but she could read between the lines, and she had almost told him about the many times she and Jaime had slept together while she had still been living under his own roof.

Eddard Stark was a quiet man, who spent as little time at home as she did, so for the first few weeks, they hadn’t gotten to know each other very well. He was courteous, never left wet towels on the floor or the toilet seat up, and they had easily divided the house work between them, making him the ideal roommate.

Almost two months passed before they had any real conversations. Then one weekend Cat had been home studying for her midterms and Ned had come down with a nasty flu. She had decided to take a break on Saturday evening, and for the first time, they sat down together on their couch and watched a few movies.

After that, they would sometimes make food together, even go out sometimes. It was all friendly, and Catelyn had resented it greatly when Jaime had suggested Ned’s motives were anything other than friendship. If anything, it was Catelyn who had started to lean towards Ned rather than the other way around.

They got along so well, and she was always at ease around him. They were both living far away from home, he more so than her, they both had siblings that they missed a great deal, and they had both lost their mothers at a young age. Although, Catelyn could admit that many of these things were the same ones she had shared with Jaime, but the two men couldn’t be more different.

On her birthday, Jaime had taken her out to a restaurant, but then abruptly left her there alone - Cersei had needed him. Catelyn couldn’t have been more furious and told Jaime if he left her there on her birthday, he better not come back. Jaime had asked her to understand, tried to kiss her and then ran out on her, leaving her with the bill and a half eaten meal.

Feeling humiliated and lonely, she had refused to go home, not wanting anyone to know that she had been stood up by her boyfriend on her birthday, especially not Ned. So after paying for their dinner, she took a cab to a pub downtown, a place she had frequently visited as a freshman in college.

The evening was just starting and other than her, there were only a few other guests, most of them young students studying in groups. She ordered a drink at the bar and sat down at the end, listening to the music and playing a game on her phone.

Within the hour the place became packed with people, and Catelyn had been offered at least a dozen free drinks, and two offers for something more. One of the young men was not appreciating his offer being turned down, and kept pushing Catelyn. Not even relenting when she said she had a boyfriend.

Despite her drunken state she was becoming quite frightened and when he put his hand on her arm, she had violently pulled her arm from his grasp and fallen to the floor, her arms barely breaking her fall. Before she could get to her feet, the man standing over her was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and almost pulled off his feet by another man.

"If I ever see you do such a thing again, I’ll make sure it is the last thing you do," a dark voice growled. "Now apologize to her!"

The taller man shoved him in Catelyn’s direction just as she pulled herself up off the floor.

"Dude, sorry. I didn’t know she was your girl," the man said, pleading.

"Apologize!" The mystery man ordered, and the other guy did so hastily before practically running for the door.

"I’m sorry. Are you alright?" he said, stepping closer, and Catelyn recognized Ned’s bearded face.

"I am now," she answered, her voice shaking as she pulled her jacket closer around her. "Thank you."

"No problem," Ned said, stepping closer, his eyes fixed on her.

"Don’t let me ruin your night," she said, her eyes wavering from his, and down to her lap.

"You could never ruin it," he said in tone that cause a tingle to run down her back.

"Do you want to sit down?" she asked, pointing to the empty bar stool next to hers.

"Sure, Robert has already found some poor girl to prey upon," Ned answered with a grim face, making Catelyn giggle.

She had rarely seen a stranger pair, yet they were fully devoted to one another and had been friends since they were children. Robert was equally charming and frightening; he could charm anyone, but his manners left much to be desired, not to mention his attentions quickly drifted and she was quite sure the longest relationship he had ever had was with Ned, and that included his own family members.

Catelyn had bought their first round, in thanks for his rescue, but Ned had insisted on buying the rest, paying for drink after drink.

Catelyn was actually having a great time and felt that her birthday hadn’t been a total waste. In her drunkenness she blurted out that he had saved her birthday and he had given her quite the scolding for not telling him it was her birthday. When he had leaned in to kiss her cheek, Catelyn had turned her head, making his lips fall on her own instead. His kisses were sweet and slow, just brushes against hers, and his hand quickly found its way into her hair, while the other rested on her hip. Catelyn pushed closer, opening her mouth as his tongue pressed for entrance. Slowly stroking against hers.

He abruptly pulled back from her leaving her gasping for air. “I’m sorry,” he groaned. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Instead of answering his apology she leaned forward again, pressing herself against him, kissing his regrets away.

“What...” he spoke in between kisses, his words muffled by her kisses. “About… Your boyfriend.”

Catelyn sat up straight, moving from where she had been almost sitting on his lap to her own stool.

“He’s gone,” she said with a wave of her hand, not caring one way or the other where in world Jaime Lannister was.

Ned took that as an acceptable answer and kissed her again. Catelyn pulled him close and whispered in his ear that they should go home.

The whole cab ride home was a blur, a mixture of frustration and pleasure and the sweet wooden smell of Ned’s cologne. The cab driver had very quietly coughed once they reached their destination, and Ned had quickly paid the man before pulling her inside.

Once they were inside the elevator, he pressed her against the wall. Her hands travelled under his shirt, clawing at his toned back. When they got to their floor, they stumbled towards their door and Ned tried to push the key into place at the same time as he tried to sip down her dress. In an effort to help, Catelyn turned around, helping him see the zipper, as well as helping her open the door more quickly.

Once they got inside, things moved quicker and before she knew it, he had her stark naked on his bed, his grey sheets clutched in her white fingers, while he was on his knees at the end of the bed, his dark hair buried between her legs as he explored her. Not having had time to explain, she had forgotten to warn him that she would on occasion kick her partner, and when he had gotten her to the edge, and then licked a particularly sensitive spot, she kicked forward, accidentally hitting his back, making him lose his breath. In retaliation, he bit the inside of her thigh, sending her over the edge, clenching around his fingers as they thrust inside her.

He quickly got rid of his pants, throwing them along with his boxers to the chair in the room. He was average sized, at least as far as her limited knowledge could tell, but he was thicker than she had seen before, but the sight of it made her lick her lips, and she had a pressing desire to put her lips around him.

Ned seemed to have other ideas, and he was crawling up the bed, settling between her parted thighs, before she could sit up. When he settled against her, she quickly linked her legs around him, drawing him closer, his cock pushing against her heat, rubbing against her over sensitive clit.

When they came together, her cunt clenching like a glove around him, they both let out a moan, and Ned settled his forehead against hers, his eyes wide open, as if he were afraid she’d disappear if he closed them, mesmerised by his intensity, Catelyn couldn’t close hers either, and for a minute they lay there together, linked in the most intimate of ways.

When he started moving, she cleansed her feet harder around him, thrusting her hips up to meet his every movement, her eyes still bound to his. Her mind was filled with thoughts of him, of how well they fit, how full he felt inside her, how his skin felt underneath her nails.

When she came a second time, she couldn’t help closing her eyes, and trying to hide her face in the pillow beneath her and muffle her screams, but his hand held her as she trembled. Before she could recover, she felt him shake above her, his hand that had rested along her face now grabbed her limp hand, threading their fingers, squeezing it as he reached his end.

Ned fell to the side, grabbing the sheets, that he had thrown to the end of the bed, and covering her with them, laying them gently around her, before he pulled her to him, her head coming to lay on his warm chest, near his pounding heart. A sound that lulled her to sleep.

Catelyn came to in the middle of the night, Ned’s arm wrapped tightly around her and her head cradled against his bare chest.

She managed to pull free and get up without waking him.

They were in his room, his silk grey sheets cool against her bare skin.

He looked so peaceful and young as he slept, the solemn face that he wore like a shield melted away.

She quickly gathered her clothing from around the apartment and packed a small suitcase, just managing to catch the first morning train to the Riverlands. She felt like a child, running away from her problems like she used to as a kid, running into her father’s arms.

A note. A stupid note and cash, was all she had left him. Which was more than she had left Jaime.

She hadn’t thought of him at all. Not since Ned had asked about him, not really, since he had yet again chosen his sister over her. She would have to break up with him, she knew that much. She could never date someone she would cheat on.

Cheater! She was a cheater now. She had done something she had always hated.

Jaime had been her first, and until recently, she had truly believed he would be her only. That was, until Cersei Lannister had followed her brother to King’s Landing, since then it was if Jaime was a completely different person. Ignoring her calls, showing up late, abandoning Catelyn to go to his sister whenever Cersei called. Catelyn had called him out on his behaviour, but Jaime had just shrugged, apologised and told her he’d try and make it up to her on her birthday, only to leave once again when the banshee called.

She contemplated telling Jaime she had slept with someone else, but she felt like she would be soothing her own conscience, rather than being honest with Jaime.

Just as the train pulled into the train station where she needed to get off, she decided to call Jaime that night and break up with him. However, Catelyn needed a few weeks before coming face to face with Ned again. She needed to think, to separate her emotions about Jaime’s lack of caring, from her feelings for Ned. She owed him that much.

———

It had to be a mistake. It couldn’t be anything else. Those had been her first thoughts, after all, she was on birth control, and it had only been one night.

It had been a little over a month since she had last been on this very train, only then she had been running away from something, now she felt as if she was running towards something.

She unconsciously ran a hand over her stomach, wondering how he would take her unexpected news.

Catelyn had called him before getting on the train. He had sounded surprised and a little confused, but he didn’t seem angry. She needed to see him right away, or she would chicken out, and she couldn’t do that. Ned deserved to have his say. He should be allowed to make his choice as well, to decide if he wanted a future with his child or not.

One night. Only one night and they had already made a life. 1%, her doctor had said, there was still a one percent chance she could get pregnant while using birth control. They should have used a condom, but she hadn’t even thought of it, and now it was too late.

The announcement called out that they were about to pull into central station, the last stop on the line. Catelyn quickly grabbed her bag and started towards the door, stepping outside as soon as the doors opened. He was the first thing she saw when she exited, his face solemn and hands shoved in his jean pockets, telling her he was nervous and not angry, but before she could say a word he grabbed her bag from her and they walked in silence out of the station and towards his car.

"Hi," Ned said once they were inside, his key in the ignition, but he did not turn it on.

"Hi," Catelyn answered hesitantly, unsure if this was really the right place to tell him.

"How are you?" He asked turning towards her, his voice faltering. "How’s Jaime?"

Guilt. He felt guilty. For what they had done, what she had done.

Catelyn swallowed hard, “I’m good, could we go home. I have to speak with you, and I don’t think this is the right place.”

A flash of anger appeared on his face, “Just wanted to make sure we were close by in case you wanted to run again.”

His voice was calm, but cold, and Catelyn felt as if he had poured a bucket of ice cold water over her head. But she didn’t have any defence, she had run away, and then called out of the blue.

"I’m sorry Ned," she said, as there was nothing else to say.

"I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have said that," he said, hanging his head as he turned on his car.

The ride home was silent and Catelyn could feel her stomach twist and turn on the way over, a thousand scenarios running in her mind. Once inside she felt even worse, memories of that night overwhelming her - nothing had changed, it was the same as it had been before, not a single thing out of place.

"Do you want some coffee or something?" he offered, hanging up his coat and then taking hers and doing the same.

She shook her head and he looked sceptically at her, after all, coffee was a major food group for her, how she was going to survive the next year she had no idea. He grabbed himself a coffee and got her a glass of water before sitting opposite her at their kitchen table.

"I’m sorry Ned, I truly am. I panicked and ran away and that wasn’t fair to you. I-" She brushed her hair out of her eyes, afraid to continue. "-Ned. I’m pregnant."

The minute of silence that passed felt like a lifetime, but she kept quiet, allowing him time to process her words.

"Pregnant?" He repeated, confused, as if he had no idea what that meant.

Unable to speak, she nodded her head. Ned looked at her stomach as if expecting to find evidence there.

"Why are you…" he started speaking and then it seemed to dawn on him. "It is mine?"

"Yes," she said with certainty.

"But… It was only one night," he murmured. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said.

"What about Jaime?" he asked, the same look of guilt on his face as before.

"We haven’t… umm.” Why did it feel so awkward to talk about her ex with him? He knew she had slept with Jaime, he lived with her and it wasn’t as if he was the one she had cheated on. “It’s been a while, and I’ve had a physical since and I wasn’t pregnant.”

Ned didn’t speak, he just brushed a hand over his face and stared down.

"So what are we going to do?" he asked, his face still buried in his hands.

"We?" she asked, shocked.

"It’s my baby too," he replied with fervour.

"I know, I’m sorry," she said, memories of her first pregnancy scare going through her mind, and Jaime’s firm expression that she needed to take care of it, thankfully that time it had only been a scare.

"Have you told him?" Ned asked.

"That I’m pregnant, no. It isn’t any of his business," Catelyn replied. "We broke up."

"I’m sorry." Ned reached a hand out to her, and she took it.

"I’m not, I couldn’t have stayed with him after what happened," she explained, her eyes linking with his. "This wasn’t your fault."

"I should have shown more restraint, I knew you had a boyfriend. I just didn’t care," he said.

"Yeah, you did," she whispered. "You cared about me."

"I did," he admitted. "I do."

"I care about you too," Catelyn answered in return, giving his fingers a quick squeeze.

"We’ll figure this out," Ned said with confidence.

"One day at a time," Catelyn agreed.

The End.


	24. Waffles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat moves to the North.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **16\. Brand New Neighbours AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
> 

Catelyn had never lived alone before, not even in college. She had gone from home, to having a roommate in the dorms, to living with a few girlfriends near campus. But when Rickard Stark had asked her, in person, to come work for his energy empire in the North, she couldn’t refuse, despite her dislike of the cold. So, armed with a thick feather duvet, and a heavy parka and boots, Catelyn had moved to North, alone.

She was carrying up boxes to her new rental, her furniture had been delivered the day before, and a man around her age held the door open for her.

"Do you need help?" The man asked, looking harmless enough, his grey eyes looking at the heavy box of books in her arms.

"No thank you, it’s alright. I only have a couple left, but thanks," Catelyn replied, thanking him again before hurrying up the stairs before she made a fool of herself and dropped the heavy box on his toes.

Catelyn had a few days to get settled before starting work, and when she woke up on her third day in the North she was in the mood for some homemade waffles, something to remind her of home.

The weather outside was terrible, the windows in her apartment were half covered with snow, which mattered not at all because she could not even see the parking lot outside, the view was so limited.

She gathered all the ingredients she needed from the fridge, only to discover she was in dire need of another egg and there was not a chance in hell she was going out in this weather.

The desire to have waffles was not squashed by this, so she walked across the hallway, knocking lightly on her neighbours’ door, hoping she wasn’t waking them.

The same young man who had offered to help her when she moved in opened the door, his upper body uncovered and his shorts hung low on his hips.

Her eyes moved up his body, ending with his eyes. Thankfully, he seemed more amused than offended, smirking at her, changing his whole face, which until now had always been serious when she saw him.

"I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could borrow an egg, I’m trying to make waffles, but it seems I’m missing one," she asked, biting into her lower lip.

“Mhm, yeah, no problem I think I have a couple,” he said, walking into his own apartment, coming back shortly with an egg in his hand. “Here you go, good luck.”

Catelyn thanked him and was about to retreat when she had an idea, “uhm, you wouldn’t happen to want to have some waffles with me?”

"What?" He looked at her confused and she was about to retract her offer when he nodded. "Sure, thank you. Uhm, I’m Ned."

He extended a hand out to her, which she took.

"Catelyn," she said, nodding her head.

"I’m just gonna go put on a shirt,” he said, making Catelyn laugh.

The End.


	25. Rebellion Studios

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat and Ned start together on the same movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **13\. Co-Stars AU - Catelyn x Ned** for a writing meme on [tumblr](http://wolvesandatrout.tumblr.com/tagged/writing+meme).  
>  **Warning:** sexual references and bad language.

Catelyn Tully looked around the studio, wondering where he was, if they were really going to keep them apart until they shoved them into the makeshift room, meant to be their wedding chambers.

The crew was busy, scurrying around trying to get everything set up, but because of the sensitivity of the scene, only a few crew members would be present.

She was pulled away from her search of her co-star when the makeup artist arrived and started preparing her for her role, the hairdresser was already there, pulling on her hair to get it in order, weaving it into long braids and twists, adding a few hair pieces into Catelyn already long and thick hair. Catelyn pulled her robe self-consciously around herself. This wasn’t the first nude scene she had done, but all of them felt very intrusive, especially with a co-star she barely knew - at least he’d be equally as naked, Catelyn thought, not like last time.

The director had wanted them to be as unfamiliar with each other as possible since the characters had very little knowledge of each other, as well as little knowledge of sex, especially Catelyn’s character. She still hadn’t read the books, although people would often ask, but she didn’t want it clouding her judgement. Her sister had read them when she heard Catelyn had been cast in it, and she would often tell Catelyn about scenes in them that Catelyn found interesting, and maybe one day, when this was all over, she’d sit down and read them, but for now she enjoyed the mystery, the unknown.

Finally, it was beginning and Catelyn was practically pushed into the makeshift room. Once they had her where they wanted, they got her co-star, Eddard Stark was his name. Catelyn hadn’t known much about him when they met up at the casting office to read lines together, only heard of him in passing, and she hadn’t seen him since. Although, Lysa had sent her every piece of news about him she could find, including a link to his Wikipedia page. She had said Catelyn should at least know whom she was getting into bed with, all the while giggling behind her hand.

Eddard, call me Ned, Stark, was a tall man, with dark hair and a plain face. But his smile and storm grey eyes brought something out in him Catelyn wouldn’t have thought of before seeing it. He wasn’t smiling when he came into the room, also covered with a thick white robe. She wondered if he had done this before, she hadn’t thought to ask Lysa.

"Alright, we’re going to do a run through and see how it goes, then we’ll do close ups and all that," somebody called out, probably the director.

They both disrobed and an assistant took their robes, her eyes cast downwards. Catelyn sat on the bed waiting for it to start, keeping eye contact with her co-star.

"You ok?" Ned asked, his eyes never wavering from hers.

Catelyn didn’t speak, just nodded her head in acknowledgement, “You?” He also nodded just before the director called action.

The scene was pretty straight forward and had very few lines, and Catelyn had already gone over the scene pretty thoroughly.

When he walked towards the bed, Catelyn stood up, looking over the top of his body before lowering her eyes to the ground, the thin sheet she had wrapped around her was dropped to the floor, leaving her as vulnerable as he was. She was startled when his hand grabbed her hip, and she looked up at him, remembering her lines.

"Do I please you, my lord?" she asked, and deep down she wanted to smirk because it was clear that not only did the character enjoy the way she looked, but her co-star did as well.

"Yes, my lady, very much so," he answered, his eyes travelling down her body and then up again.

It shouldn’t have felt so awkward, but it did, he was awkward, which hyped up her own awkwardness.

The scene quickly played out and before she knew it, they were almost done. This was as intimate as she had ever been with another person she was not in a relationship with, and it appeared it was having some effect on him as well, although he tried desperately to hide it. His eyes squeezed shut. When they were finished, and she had put on some clothes, feeling as if need a hot shower to clean herself of the whole thing.

Ned walked over, his cheeks a bit red and his face as serious as when he had taken her to bed.

"So, uhm, I just wanted to make sure you were alright," he said, the shirt he had put on stretched tightly over his well built chest as he crossed his arms over it.

"I’m fine Ned," she said with a smile. "In fact, I was going to go out with a few people from the cast, do you want to come along?"

"Sure, I just have to go grab my jacket," he said, pointing towards the trailers and Catelyn nodded.

———

The last scene had been shot the night before and most of the main cast had decided to go celebrate at their hotel bar the next night.

Robert Baratheon was almost as charismatic and boisterous as his character if not more so, while the girl who was playing Catelyn’s sister was nothing like the dramatic and dejected character she played, but she was already at the bar trying to drink one of the bigger guys under the table. Catelyn spent most of her time with Ned, comfortably drinking and occasionally dancing, although Ned claimed his two left feet would cause more damage than she could imagine and so he was content with staying at their table as she moved around to the beat of the music.

It was probably early morning when they walked to the elevators. He was slightly tipsy, shown by the redness in his cheeks and the words he slurred together when he tried to speak. She was no better off, although she was still able to walk straight on her high heels. When they stumbled into the elevator Ned gently laid his hand on her waist, holding her steady when she stumbled a bit, only he didn’t remove his hand when she got her bearings. It was warm, burning through the thin material of her dress and she wondered what it would be like to have his hands on her skin again.

He followed her out of the elevator despite him having a room on a different floor, his hand dropping from her waist to linger on the small of her back. Once they reached her room, she turned around to face him, her face flushed and her breath was slightly laboured. Ned brushed a lock of hair out of her face and without thinking she leaned forward locking her lips with his. His response was sweet and Catelyn wanted to melt in his arms. This kiss was so different from the kisses he had given her on set, when they had been different people. His hand burned her skin as it moved down her back, stopping at her hip.

They were shaken apart by fake kissing noises and laughter. A couple of teenage boys were standing at the end of the hallway, yelling at them to get a room. Ned looked embarrassed and dropped his hands from her.

"Do you do want to come inside?" she asked, biting her lower lip.

"I shouldn’t," he said, his hands now shoved in his pockets.

Catelyn turned around and quickly swiped her card, pulling on his hand until he followed her inside. Ned stopped on the threshold, his eyes did not leave her, yet his body did not follow. Catelyn was about to speak when he stepped inside, allowing the door to shut behind him. It only took him three steps before he was standing in front of her. When his hands reached behind her head, cradling it with his large palms, her hair threaded between his fingers, a shiver running down her spine.

When he kissed her it tasted of passion and not duty, and it felt nothing like the kisses they shared on set. His hands moved from her head, down her body, until they pass over her ass, gently grabbing around her thighs, hoisting her up, and her legs automatically lock around his hips. As he carried her across the room, towards the king size bed, she could feel his hard cock between them; he quickly inhaled as she pushed her hips forward, rubbing against it.

"You’re not playing fair, Miss Tully," Ned moaned, after breaking their kiss, his lips softly moving over the skin of her neck.

"Life’s not fair," Catelyn whispered back, moving her head so that he had better access, a moan leaving her lips when he pressed a sensitive point.

When they reached the bed, he placed her down on her feet and started pulling his sweater over his head, leaving his chest bare. Catelyn reached behind her, pulling down the zipper of her dress. Watching his eyes as they roamed over her body.

"Gods, you are beautiful," he muttered, his fingers twirling a string of her hair around his finger.

"Then come get me," she said, falling back on the bed, reaching a hand out to him, which he took, lacing their fingers together as he moved over her, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips.

He quickly moved from her lips down her neck, following down to her collard bone as his hand reached behind her to unfasten her bra. Once he had the offending garment off, he turned his attention to her breasts, softly kneading one while pressing wet open mouthed kisses to the other. He smelled of wood and citrus, and a hint of the smell she could only imagine was of him since it was the smell that brought her back to the candle lit chamber where they were last pressed together like this.

When his mouth closed around her nipple, his tongue circling it, she was brought back to the present. Abandoning her breasts, Ned left wet kisses down her stomach, stopping at her underwear, his grey eyes looking up, seeking her consent.

"Please," she moaned, running her fingers through his dark hair.

When his fingers brushed through her folds, lightly stroking over her clit, she whimpered softly, her eyes still linked with his, as if they were in a competition of wills. And she’s the loser. His fingers moved softly over her flesh, spreading the wetness he found there; she could no longer hold her eyes open, and she leaned her head back, pushing her hips against his probing fingers, a moan escaping into the steamy room.

He pressed a finger inside her, and she couldn’t stop herself from pushing her hips against him, softly whimpering when one of his arms crossed over them, holding her down while his lips come over her clit, his tongue pressing it lightly. By the time he had another finger inside her, she was thrashing on the bed, calling out to whomever wanted to hear, his grey eyes looking up her body to watch her face as she helplessly fell apart. Once the spasms conceded, and her hips relaxed, he moved up her body again, leaving wet hot kisses on her overheated body, then he pressed a quick kiss to her lips before standing up.

"You’re not leaving?" she managed to utter, pulling her legs towards her chest when she sat up, holding them tightly to her, a flicker of doubt seeping through.

"No," he grinned, grabbing his wallet from his back pocket, throwing it towards her, while he pulled his pants off.

Catelyn was too busy watching him undress that she only held the wallet in her hand, her cunt pulsing with need as she observed him, watching his muscles move, watching his cock spring against his stomach when he pulled his boxers off. She quickly licked her lips, before looking up at his face, only to find Ned watching her, an amused look on his face.

He sat beside her, leaning back against his hands, watching her. Before he could say anything, she finally moved, moving into his lap, straddling his thighs while still holding his wallet in her hand, pressing her front to his when she kissed him.

"There’s a condom in my wallet," he groaned, his hand already at her hip, stilling her movements.

His fingers tracing patterns on her hipbone as he waited, his mouth, leaving hot kisses on her skin. Finally, she managed to get it open, and on him, then she pressed her hips forward until they collided with his, his large hand moved from her hip to her back, pressing her closer. When he slipped inside her, he groaned her name, hiding his face in her hair as he held her to him.

After a moment he moved his hand again, helping her move in slow movements that drove Catelyn crazy, unable to keep to his slow rhythms, Catelyn dug her thighs into his and rose and fell at her own pace, allowing his hands to assist, but keeping control in her hands. When she leaned back, his mouth moved towards her breast, kissing and licking, leaving hickeys and small bites on them.

“Gods,” he begged against her skin, burying his head in her should, again, holding her steady and she knew he was close by the way he twitched inside her; making a rash decision, she grabbed a hold of one of his hands and placed it between them, showing him how she liked to be touched before moving again, this time faster than before, grinding into his moving fingers until she found her release - her body falling against him.

He moved far quicker than she could follow and before she knew it, she was staring up at him and the ceiling, and Ned was inside her again, thrusting into her, for all he was worth, as she tried to hold her legs around his waist, his knuckles probably white from his hold on the headboard. His face contorted as he came - his body falling to the side before she could properly enjoy the weight of him on her.

He sat up after a minute, walking to the bathroom, while she still lay there, her body too tired to move from the wet spot on the bed. Ned returned with a small towel, handing it to her so she could clean herself.

“Do you want me to go?” he asked, his eyes wide as a deer caught in headlights.

“No silly,” she said, throwing the towel on the floor, pulling him towards her by his hand, settling against him on the bed, pushing her leg between his before she fell asleep.

Catelyn was warm when she awoke, so warm, and comfortable. She snuggled up to the heat and half heartedly tried to open her eyes, meeting a pair of amused grey eyes.

"Good morning?" the warm pillow said, making her groan as someone banged a hammer against her skull.

"Morning," she murmured, burying her head in his chest.

"You alright?" he asked, concerned, stroking a hand over her back.

"I should have let you do all the work, my legs are killing me," she joked as she stretched them out.

"How ungentlemanly of me," he joked back, bending his head to peck her lips.

Laughing, she pressed her lips against his again, mindful of her unwashed mouth.

"Gods we are such clichés," she groaned when she pulled back. "Co-stars end up in bed together, I’m never going to hear the end of this."

"It’s none of their business," Ned said solemnly, and Catelyn regretted her comment right away, seeing the amusement fade from his eyes.

"Let them talk," she said, kissing him again, lingering until he responded.

“Mhm,” he groaned against her lips, shifting so she felt his hard-on against her, through the thin sheet.

“Good morning,” she giggled, pulling on his hand, dragging him into the bathroom for round two.

The End.


	26. Crowded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP sleeping together, with their baby/ies between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Just a very short drabble I wrote for tumblr a couple of months ago.

Ned wrapped his arm tighter around his wife, and groaned into her ear, "Just ignore it. If we don’t move they’ll never know we're here.”

Catelyn didn’t reply, only nestled closer into him, rubbing her messy haired head against his chest, “Why did we have so many again?”

“I don’t remember,” Ned answered, closing his eyes firmly when he heard the door to their room open.

He was about to open his eyes when a small knee almost collided with his groin and a small body squeezed itself between them, firmly placing itself into Catelyn’s arms.

“Mama, I dream bad,” Rickon’s little voice penetrated Ned’s consciousness and he reached over to give his son a comforting pat.

“It’s alright, my little wolf,” Catelyn whispered to their youngest son.

“Sleep with you?” Rickon asked, sleep already present in his sweet voice.

“Only tonight,” Catelyn said, but Ned knew from thirteen years of child rearing that this would not be the last time.


	27. Without

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the only thing worse than your otp dying
> 
> is half of your otp dying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Another short drabble I wrote for a prompt on Tumblr.  
>  **Warnings:** Character Death, Mourning.

He had forbidden them from taking her away, this was her room and here she would stay until the silent sisters came, only the bloody sheets had been removed and a thin white sheet hid her from him. The road from White Harbor was not long, but still it had been three days, three days without her. Without her presence, without her wise words, without her laughter.

Maester Luwin had tried to get him to see the babe at least, but how could he? How could he leave her and go see the babe that was now without a mother because of him. How could she have left him? How was he to explain? To tell their children, their mother was gone, that she would never again dry their tears or sing them to sleep.

His good-father would no doubt ride here with all haste to recover the treasure he had left in Ned’s care. Ned did not know what he would say to the man. After all, if it wasn't for him, Cat would be awake, holding their children in her arms. Would still laugh when he’d complain of the heat in these chambers, the heat he could no longer feel. He wondered if he’d ever be warm again, for surely his heart had frozen in his chest the moment Catelyn drew her last breath...


	28. Smuggling Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catelyn helps Ned smuggle precious cargo into his dorm room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** A story I wrote for Nessa's birthday last October, from the prompt “Can u help me sneak my cat into my dorm” AU.

The winter here was far worse than Catelyn had imagined. She knew the Vale was further North than Riverrun, but this was almost as bad as going to the North itself, or so she imagined.

She was almost at her dorm, her boots drenched from walking in the deep snow and her fingers frozen despite the thick mittens her uncle had given her. When she drew nearer she saw one of her former classmates standing outside, speaking to himself.

It was the Stark boy, the one who never spoke. She had worked a group project with him last semester and thank the gods he had been there because the rest of the group had done next to nothing, and she and Stark had managed to turn it in at the last seconds and still get an above average grade. He was a law student, but was taking a few business courses on the side. His quiet nature had unnerved her at first, he rarely spoke, but when he did each word was carefully thought out, it had been a nice change.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” She heard him mutter to himself.

“Hey, Ned?” she said, trying not to startle him, but doing so nonetheless.

“Dear Gods, don’t do that! You nearly scared me to death,” he groaned, turning around to face her.

He was wearing a black winter parka, but for some reason he had one arm tucked into his coat and his coat kept moving. Then suddenly a sorrowed noise left his coat, sounding suspiciously like the cry of a cat.

“What are you doing?” she asked, forgetting her earlier discomfort.

“Nothing,” he quickly answered. Placing his other arm over the front of his coat.

“Yeah, sure. You know the security officer is going to notice right away that you are hiding something, right?” she pointed out, eyeing the bulge again.

He didn’t reply, just shrugged his shoulders.

“Can you help me?” he asked, eyeing the bag she was holding on her arm.

“With what?”

“Smuggling my cat into my dorm room,” he said, and Catelyn couldn’t hide the smirk on her face.

“You own a cat. I would have thought you more of a dog person,” she asked.

“I am, but my sister thought it would be easier to hide a cat in my room than a dog. She made me promise to take it with me. She thinks I’m too lonely down here,” he explained.

“You always make ridiculous promises to your sister?”

He didn’t reply and tried desperately to avoid eye contact with her.

“Don’t worry, I like men who aren’t afraid to smuggle cats into their dormitories to fulfill a promise to their sister,” she said with a smile. “Now let me see it before you suffocate the poor thing.

He quickly opened his parka, revealing a small kitten, as white as the snow on the ground and its eyes a soft blue. Unintentionally she allowed a high pitched squeal to leave her lips, but both of them pretended it had not happened, or so she hoped as her cheeks flamed, giving her face a bit of heat in the blistering cold.

"His name is Snow,” Stark said, handing it over to her, not even bothering to close his parka again, reminding Catelyn of how cold she was.

She took the kitten from him, cradling him with her mitten covered fingers. He seemed docile enough and she quickly opened her bag and placed him inside with her gym clothes.

“Alright, let's hurry before he wakes up and starts crying again,” she said, grabbing his hand and dragging him inside.

They fortunately made it all the way up to the fourth floor where his room was located without being stopped and he quickly opened the door, pulling her inside by her hand, that was still clasped in his.

He finally let go after closing the door and already Catelyn missed the warmth of his hand.

She shook her head, pulling her cap off her head shaking her hair out, before reaching into her bag and pulling little Snow out, handing him over to his owner.

“Thanks,” he said, putting the kitten down on the left bed. Snow quickly made himself comfortable and promptly fell asleep. “Would you like something to drink? Or something?”

“No, that’s ok, I’ll get out of your hair, let the two of you get settled in,” she said stuffing her cap and mittens into her bag.

“You sure, I don’t know how I’m gonna properly thank you,” he said, as he threw his parka on one of the chairs.

“Tell me how you are only wearing a t-shirt under your coat and not freezing,” she joked.

“Ah, no sorry. If I told you that I’d have to kill you. It’s a top secret in the North,” he jokes back, smiling the most charming smile. His face all of sudden lightning up and Catelyn wondered why she had never seen it before.

“Well then, I guess I’ll just have to think of something before I visit next time,” she said, grabbing her bag.

“Next time?” he asked, and she thought she saw a hopeful look appear in his eyes, but she could just be imagining it.

“Well yeah. Now that I’ve helped you smuggle him in, I think I at least deserve visitation rights,” she answered smirking.

“Of course, you’re welcome to look by on us anytime you’d like,” he answered, looking a bit surprised if not a little embarrassed.

“I will. So I’ll see you around Stark?” she asked, just as she opened the door.

“Yep, and thanks again, my sister will be so happy,” he said as she walked out, waving to her before disappearing behind the closing door.

The End.


	29. One Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catelyn is trying to do some work, but Ned won’t leave her to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** A short story I wrote for the first CatxNed week last year.  
>  **Warnings:** Minor sexual refrences.

Catelyn Stark tried to rub out the knots in her shoulder as she sat over the accountings. She trusted Vayon and her husband to have kept the castle running during the time she needed to recover from the birthing bed. But it was her duty as the Lady of Winterfell to keep the accounts in order and to see that they were always prepared in case the long summer ended. 

It had been four years and no sign of summer ending, and Catelyn couldn’t be happier. She had only experienced one winter and it had been short and not quite as bad as it could be, or so Ned said at the time, but it had been cold enough for her Southern blood, and sometimes there had been days when she dared not leave her chambers without a cloak and gloves, even when she did not leave the Great Keep.

They had made Sansa during that time tough, their little lady. Practically strangers still, even though they had been married near on four years when she came into the world, pink and smiling. Those same winter nights Catelyn had so feared when she had thought of Winterfell as a young maiden had helped bring them together. In the darkness of her chambers they spoke in the night after they had finished. His fingers playing with her hair as she pressed herself against his body in the hope of sharing the heat that seem to flow from him as if he were a walking fireplace. 

It seemed foreign to her now, to not have known Ned, not known his love.

As if knowing she was thinking of him she felt him behind her. When she turned her head to look she saw him standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

“Can I help you, my lord?” Catelyn asked, putting on a face of innocence.

“Why yes, I’m looking for my wife. You haven’t seen her have you? Red hair, blue eyes, beautiful, but stubborn as a mule.” As he spoke, he kept moving forward, stopping only when he was standing behind her chair, towering over her.

“I don’t think you are in any position to be calling anyone stubborn, my love,” Catelyn said, returning to her books.

“I thought we agreed you would allow Vayon to handle the books for a little more time?” he asked, his large hands coming down on her shoulder, rubbing the knots she had been unsuccessfully trying to untie before his arrival.

“No,” she moaned, trying her hardest to keep focus as he rubbed her shoulders and neck. “You said you wanted me to take more time, but Luwin and I both thought it would not be too strenuous for me to sit at my desk and look at some numbers. After all it has been two moons since Rickon was born and I have never taken this much time with any of the other children." 

"None of the other children were as much trouble,” Ned countered. “I know you are still not sleeping well, despite you having thrown me from our bed.”

“Our bed?” Catelyn asked, looking up at him. “I thought it was my bed.”

“Details,” Ned said, waving his hand in the air.

“Rickon is not sleeping well and there is no reason for both of us to be exhausted,” Catelyn said, leaning into his touch. 

“I know. I did not mean to be a rogue,” Ned said, kissing the top of her head. 

“It’s alright, I know you are trying to help,” Catelyn said, pushing one ledger away, only to drag another one to the front.

Ned’s hand moved from her shoulder, cupping one of her full breasts and Catelyn cursed how well he knew her body, or how well her body knew him. 

“Ned,” she warned. Grabbing his hand in hers, dragging it away from her chest.

“Come on, Cat,” Ned groaned, moving her braid away so he could kiss her neck. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, but not now,” Catelyn said, turning to kiss his lips briefly.

Her lips lingered and she felt her body begin to respond and she had a fleeting thought of Ned pulling her out of her chair and into her chambers next door. She quickly pulled away, turning her head away as a taint of pink covered her cheeks. 

“The older children are all occupied and Rickon is finally sleeping,” Ned whispered in her ear. “I’ve missed you." 

"Ned, it is the middle of the day,” Catelyn argued, as his lips moved back to her neck. “What has gotten into you?”

“It isn’t like we’ve never done this during the day before,” Ned spoke into the skin of her shoulder, pulling her dress off her shoulder.

She wanted to allow him to persuade her, after all it wasn’t every day Eddard Stark tried to seduce her, but she had duties she needed to see to. Rickon’s birth had taken a lot out of her and then he had slept uneasy, still waking several times in the night screaming so loud she was certain he could be heard on the other side of the castle. So when she was recovered enough to return to their marital activities they were both too exhausted to do anything besides falling asleep in each others arms and hope for more than a couple of hours of sleep.

Before she could make up her mind his hands grabbed around her waist and hauled her onto the desk, sweeping the ledgers and letters onto the floor in one stroke.

“Ned!” Catelyn exclaimed, winding her arms around his neck.

Like a man possessed, he pushed her skirts into her lap, falling down on his knees, dragging her to edge before burying his face between her legs. Her thighs quivering as she dragged her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away.

As if no time had passed, he had her moaning and begging in only a few moments and in another he had taken his pleasure as well, pushing the table repeatedly against the wall in his hurry. Afterwards he fell onto the chair she had been seated on when he came in, his chest heaving and his clothing disheveled.

“Feeling better?” she panted, still trying to catch her breath.

 "Much,“ he admitted, running his hand on her bare thigh. "I’m sorry if I was rough with you.”

Catelyn laughed then, remembering the first time he had been “rough” with her. His look of utter horror at his own behavior, as she worried that he might think her wanton and unworthy.

“I missed you,” Catelyn admitted, falling from the desk and into his lap. “I sleep better with you.”

“Mhm,” Ned grumbled in agreement.

“Maybe you can try and sleep in  _our_  bed tonight?” Catelyn asked. “Rickon’s been sleeping better the last couple of nights.”

“I’d like that very much,” Ned said, his fingers playing with the end of her braid.

The End


	30. Choosing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Divergent AU. Ned’s thoughts during Arya’s choosing ceremony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** A story I wrote for the first CatxNed week last year.

Only twice before had he felt he had picked the wrong fraction. Three times his heart had been filled with selfish thoughts. He wished to keep his children close by, to keep them with their mother, with him.

Robb and Sansa were already gone, as if they had never been his, his and Cat’s. When he had chosen his own fraction he thought he was doing it for selfless reasons, but in truth he wanted to be near her and he knew she’d never leave her family, her fraction, that would have been selfish, and Cat has never been selfish. 

Right now her hand was clasped in his, her palm sweaty as they watched their youngest daughter and middle child make her own choice. Arya was among the last, as they were called by last names, but that in some ways just made it worse.

He knew when Catelyn spotted their son, his red hair still neatly cut in the way of the abnegation, but his arms were covered in tattoos and his clothing was as far removed from that of the abnegation as it could. He was a leader now, despite only having been with the dauntless for six years. Ned was proud, he knew he shouldn’t be, pride was for other fractions, but he was still proud.

Sansa was gone as well. Her bed empty in what was now only Arya’s room, his little lady having left them for the Amity. He shouldn’t have been surprised, but out of all their children, he had been certain Sansa would stay behind. But the bright colours of the Amity along with the abundance of flowers and laughter had probably appealed to her.

He did not resent them, how could he, but he missed them dearly. Far more than he had missed his own family when he had chosen Abnegation over Candor, chosen Catelyn over his family, leaving his father and younger siblings for a beautiful girl with auburn hair. 

“She’s almost up,” Catelyn whispered to him, her hand squeezing his.

Only in their room did she allow her beautiful hair to fall past her shoulders, but he wished she would do so now, so that he might run his fingers through it and bury his face in it to forget his woes.

“It will be alright, my love,” Catelyn said, sounding so certain. 

“Stark, Arya” the name echoed in his head, his little wild girl, so like his sister, whom he hadn’t seen since leaving Candor more than twenty years ago.

Arya walked up to the stand, grabbing the knife from the leader of the Erudite fraction and quickly slicing her palm open, no indecisiveness like Robb, no tears like Sansa. She was certain and as quickly as she had sliced her palm, she walked over to the abnegation bowl and allowed her blood to drip from her closed hand and over the stones.

“I told you not to worry,” Catelyn whispered in his ear, allowing her lips to quickly brush against his cheek.

The End.


End file.
